Everlasting Bonds
by Lalaith Quetzalli
Summary: Post Chapter 423 - He may no longer be able to see or feel spirits, may no longer be a shinigami; but he'll always know they are there; just like he knows she's there. Because their bonds are too strong to be broken, they're everlasting... Ichiruki
1. Invisible Binds

Everlasting Bonds

_By: Lalaith Quetzalli _

_Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach…if I did there would have been some pretty serious Ichiruki romance in chapter 423…and it wouldn't have made me almost cry! Still, after reading that chapter, followed by several dozen fics related to it, this came to be. Hope you enjoy. _

**Invisible Binds **

Ichigo was hurriedly packing his books, the last bell of the afternoon had sounded less than a minute ago and he seemed to be about to burst for some unknown reason.

"Kurosaki-kun!" He heard a voice call him.

It took three tries for him to answer to it, it wasn't that he hadn't heard her the first time, not really, the thing is, hers wasn't the voice he wanted to hear so, honestly, he hadn't paid that much attention to it.

"Inoue." He finally acknowledged her, schoolbag over his arm already.

"Hey, Kurosaki-kun." He called with an overly-bright smile. "We were all going to go together for some dinner. Wanna come?"

"Sorry Inoue, I'm in a hurry." He answered her with as much politeness as he could, he wanted to leave already!

"I see…" But she didn't, obviously not.

"Maybe some other day." He replied unthinkingly on his way out. "See ya Inoue!"

As he said that, for just a fraction of a second, there was a half smile on his face, a true smile. Inoue Orihime caught sight of it right before he disappeared down the hallway, and was so shocked that for a few minutes she couldn't move at all.

"Inoue-san, are you alright?" Ishida's deep voice asked her from behind.

"N…Yes." She answered, softly, her eyes still fixed on the same spot Ichigo had been right before disappearing from her sight. "Something's changed with Kurosaki-kun…"

"So you've noticed it too, huh?" Ishida spoke, calmly.

"So you did notice!" She spun around, looking at him.

"Yes, I did." Uryuu nodded. "Since the morning actually. While he may no longer have any reiatsu, his essence was still in turmoil, it was pretty noticeable, had been that way for months. And yet, it wasn't that way this morning, instead there was something else in him, like some kind of peace…acceptance maybe? I don't know. I just know it has changed."

"What do you think that may have happened?" Inoue asked.

"Honestly. I have no idea." The Quincy admitted. "I hadn't felt him this calm since the Winter War began…"

Inoue considered correcting him, but chose not to. In the end, it wouldn't change a thing, no matter how much she might want to lie to herself she knew the truth, and maybe he did too; Ichigo hadn't been that bad during the Winter War, true, he was in turmoil, but it was never as bad as it had been the last few months…since she'd left.

'I don't know what's changed…' Inoue whispered to herself, sad acceptance in her mind voice. 'I just hope that, whatever it is, it will stay that way. I hope you'll be happy, that you'll move on…even if it's not with me…'

.-.

The evening on the Kurosaki home left almost as many shocks as Ichigo's hurried departure and unexpected half-smile had in his classmates.

The orange-haired youth had arrived right on time, evaded his father's rather 'unorthodox' welcome fluidly and without a single word being said, tapped his dark-haired sister's head before gently kissing the auburn-haired girl's brow and calmly asking what was for dinner.

Dinner went by in almost total silence, broken just by polite questions between the children about each of their days. The father was way too shocked to say anything, stupid or otherwise, to any of his children.

As soon as dinner was over Ichigo kissed his sister's goodnight, evaded his father stupid antics once again and hurried to his room. The last thing any of them heard was the ominous click of his bedroom door lock as it was secured.

As soon as he was inside his room Ichigo dropped his schoolbag on a chair, hurriedly got off his uniform and into a pair of sweatpants and a loose shirt, and went to lay on his bed. He focused on relaxing his whole body limb by limb, before finally closing his eyes and allowing a tentative smile to appear on his face, as he pronounced the one name no one had heard him so much as whisper in months, a name that was to only be pronounced in that room, in the security of his solitude:

"Rukia…"

.-.

When his eyes opened again, what seemed like mere seconds later, for a second all he could see around him were flashes of white, red and black, almost like strips of some unwoven cloth floating all around him. He blinked, and then his surroundings changed once again, this time into what looked like a clearing in the woods, right above him towered a bare tree, icicles hanging from its branches instead of leaves, all around him there was snow, and a few feet away from him, a lake that had been frozen and now resembled an ice-rink. It was like the ultimate sight of the winter season, and yet he didn't feel any cold, even though he was wearing nothing more than a plain white yukata, he felt fine.

Ever so slowly he sat up, brushing off the snow that had begun to gather on his hair and his clothes, not even when touching it directly with his fingers did he feel cold. In fact, if he didn't know it was absolutely impossible he would even say the snow felt almost warm to the touch.

Slap!

He was still deep in his musings when quite suddenly a rather hard slap to the back of his head made him double over slightly.

"What the hell?" He cried out as he jumped on his feet. "Midget…"

"Idiot!" A female voice he knew way to well yelled at him. "What do you think you're doing, acting like a fool all day?"

He couldn't help but chuckle, even when she was chastising him, or downright insulting him, he loved hearing her voice so much he just couldn't find it in himself to care.

"If you keep acting like that they're going to start worrying about you, even more than they used to, they're going to wonder what's wrong with you and…"

She couldn't finish her rant, for suddenly she was being held tight in his arms, her feet barely touching the ground as he held her to his body with as much strength as he dared.

"I missed you…" He whispered into her hair, softly, his voice almost breaking.

"Fool…" She whispered, this time as softly as he. "You saw me just last night…"

"I know." He nodded, still not letting go. "But even this morning I couldn't be sure it was nothing more than a wonderful dream…It had been so long…all these months…I began fearing I would never see you again."

It was so unlike him, to admit to any weaknesses, fears, so openly. But then again she was the only one there, to hear his confessions, to see him break down; and she had known for a while now she was the only one he didn't even try hiding from. This made her feel many things, honored, touched, and yet also afraid, the last thing she wanted to do was fail him.

Ever so slowly he eased his hold on her, and once she was steady on her feet again she pulled him to the ground with her. After a few motions he ended up sitting against the nearest tree, with her sitting on his lap, sideways.

"You know if you hadn't buried yourself so deep in your brooding we would have been able to meet before, right?" She reminded him softly.

Brooding, that's what she called what he had been doing for almost half a year since her departure, it was easier than admitting just how bad his depression had actually been, and not just his but hers as well.

"I know." He mumbled in a low voice, his arms snaking around her again, but not as tight this time. "So many months I…we lost. I was so stupid. Will you ever forgive me?"

"I told you yesterday, and I'll tell you again today, and as many times as is needed, there's nothing to forgive." She assured him. "You were feeling down, we both were, it's to be expected that you would have trouble remembering that goodbye didn't have to be the last."

"I know. But still, it didn't take you as long. Just to imagine how long you must have been waiting for me, how many times you must have come, waiting for me, only for me not to come. I really am sorry Rukia."

"Stop it Ichigo, I told you already I forgive you. I knew it would take some time for your mind to clear, for you to remember there was a chance for us to meet again. At least it took you just a few months and not years like I feared it would…" this time it was her voice that broke.

"Rukia…"

"That was my fear. That you wouldn't remember we had this chance, not in time. That you would move on and by the time we met again it would be too late…"

"I would never have moved on, not without you Rukia, never. You must know that, must know that I l…"

"Sh…" She placed a finger on his lips. "I know. And as joyful as it makes me, I can't help but feel that I'm only making things harder. I should just have left you to your life, allowed you to move on, as a human should."

"Please Rukia, we both know I'm not a normal human, powers or no powers, I'll never be normal. Even if my father weren't a shinigami, I just am different. And I like being who and what I am. I'll never regret anything, will never regret having been a Shinigami, no matter for how short a time…"

"What about the war you got dragged into?"

"I wasn't dragged into it, I chose to be a part of it. For you. I thought it was obvious."

"Have you never wondered what your life would have been if we had never met, if you had never had to shoulder so much responsibility, the fate of two worlds…"

"Well, most likely, I would be dead."

"Ichigo!"

"It's the truth, even if that hollow hadn't done it, some other, the following day, or the one after. My reiatsu was out of control, all the time, and without shinigami powers I would just have been an easy target."

"Shinigami or no shinigami I doubt very much you would have been anything close to easy."

"Maybe, but that's not the point. I don't regret what your appearance into my life has brought me Rukia. Because even with as hard and as bad as some of the things were, the good is so worth it." Before she could say anything he shushed her and went on. "You are the good Rukia, everything related to you. I told you once that thanks to you the rain had stopped, but it's more than that. You didn't just push the sadness away, the feeling of uselessness of worthlessness; you gave me the drive to move forward, to become a better brother, a better son, a better 'protector. It's thanks to you that I am what I am. So there's no way I could ever come to regret any of it. Even…even if this were to be the last time I ever see you in this life, in all my lifetimes, I could never regret it."

"It should be the last time…I really shouldn't continue interfering with your life…"

"You're not interfering midget get it through your thick skull!" He couldn't help but yell at her, then, in a more sedate tone added. "How can the very best part of my life be a bother?"

"Ichigo…you need to understand, you're human, you need to have a normal life!"

"There you go again. I already told you nothing is normal in my life! And I like it that way thank you very much!" he sighed, a hand going through his hair. "You think I don't know there's still something going on? I may have lost my spiritual senses, but I'm not stupid. I can see the way Inoue and Chad tense every once in a while, sometimes Tatsuki, or Keigo or even Mizuiro too; then there's the way Ishida's continually going on bathroom breaks, or to the nurse. And lets not get started on Karin! I may no longer be able to see or feel the spirits, but it's impossible not to notice the way all my friends, and my own sister act some times."

"It's nothing you need to worry about. Just the usual hollow going through the transient world looking for something to eat."

"But of course I need to worry about it. Rukia, I may no longer be able to make a difference, no longer have the ability to stand next to you and fight, but that doesn't make me worry about you, about anyone, any less. If anything it makes it worse, because there's nothing I can do to help, I most likely would end up being a bother if I even tried."

"Do you wish to forget? You know that is in my power. I can make sure you won't remember any of this, of hollows, shinigami, Soul Society…"

"No!" He practically screamed that word as he held her by the shoulders almost too tightly. "Never, I'll never forget. And you better not make me. Promise me Rukia! Promise me you won't do anything to make me forget. I've already lost too much. My memories, it's all I have left, I can't lost that too. Promise me you won't let that happen Rukia…"

The way he spoke, so passionately, with something so close to despair, broke her heart. It made her realize that no matter how hard it may be to deal with life without his powers, he would rather hold onto those memories. He was truly terrified of losing that, of losing what little connection he had left to that world…to her.

"I promise Ichigo."

"I've already lost too much…" he mumbled, crushing her to his chest. "I won't lose you too."

Before she could say anything, to reassure him, to joke with him, suddenly he had crushed his mouth to hers. And then nothing else matters.

'Even if this is all I have left, these moments between unconsciousness and awareness, I'll treasure them; because they've brought me a piece of you, to keep with me, always…'

.-.

What seemed like hours later, though it would have been impossible to tell really how much time had passed, or if any time had passed at all, Ichigo and Rukia were walking around the lake, holding hands, in comfortable silence.

"You know, I think I really shocked Inoue today." Ichigo said out of the blue.

"I know." Rukia nodded, her expression showing she wasn't sure if she should chuckle or berate him a bit more. At his raised brow she explained: "I didn't have much work to do today in Seireitei and decided to look around Karakura. I even got to kill one hollow, low level, before Ishida got there."

"Is he going to get in trouble for taking over the hollow hunting?" Ichigo suddenly remembered a worry he'd been having a few weeks now.

"You haven't noticed then?"

"What?" Ichigo asked, confused.

"Ishida has some new kind of arrows, he can purify a hollow, just like u…like a shinigami."

"Really? I didn't know that was possible."

"Me neither. In any case, it's good, he's taken over guarding Karakura and no one can complain because he isn't upsetting the balance."

"Yeah, it's good. That other shinigami, the one with the afro, is no good at job. Karin told me once how she's had to help Don Kanonji, Ururu and Jinta handle the hollows a few times and that he never seems to be around when needed."

"That's no good. I didn't know it was that bad. I thought Ishida just preferred handling things himself. I'll have to bring it up with Ukitake-taicho soon."

"And how are you gonna explain knowing about this? Because I have a feeling you haven't told anyone about these meetings of ours."

"It isn't like we've been meeting like this that long. And in any case, no, I don't plan on telling anyone. I'm not even sure they would understand…In any case, I'll tell them I came to visit the others and they told me. That's close enough to the truth."

"Yeah…" Ichigo nodded, and suddenly seemed to notice something. "What do you mean they wouldn't understand? I mean, I realize why Ishida and them wouldn't, but I thought this was related with being shinigami…"

"Yes and no. It's not exactly about being shinigami Ichigo, if it were it wouldn't be possible for us…" she sighed and ducked her head. "I'm not sure how to explain it. You'd used this method before, to find me, when no one else so much as remembered I existed. I guess you could call it an invisible bond…"

As she spoke, for the shortest time, just a fraction of a second, a braided ribbon seemed to appear around their clasped hands, in a mix of white, red and black. A moment later everything was the same way as before.

"How long do you think we'll be able to keep meeting like this?" Ichigo questioned.

"I don't know. For as long as we want to, I guess." She shrugged. "You know Ichigo, if one day you finally decide to move on, I won't hold it against you. You have a right to live your life, your human life, free of this, free of my world and its troubles."

"Never gonna happen, I told you already. Stop insisting midget."

"I just don't want you to put your life on hold because of me."

"I won't. I promise to you I'll live my life, however long or short it might be. I'll keep going to school, hang out with my friends, eventually graduate, get a job, my own place, and all that. Still, I don't think I'll ever stop coming to see you. I'll do it every night, until you get tired of me." He half-smirked.

"Never. I'll never get tired of you."

"There's something…" he began, suddenly unsure. "I don't know if I should…no…"

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Ichigo!"

"I just…wonder if you'll wait for me? But no, I shouldn't be asking this. Who knows how long it'll take for me to die? I shouldn't chain you to something like this, I…"

"So it's alright for you not to move on, to keep holding onto what's really nothing more than a dream, a beautiful dream, granted, but not truly real; and yet you won't allow me to do the same for you?"

"I…"

"I promise Ichigo, I'll wait for you, for as long as you wait for me."

"A lifetime." He whispered, almost wistfully.

"A lifetime then." She nodded. "And afterwards…"

"We'll have forever."

With that, and before he could say anything else, she jumped him. He fell to the snow with a soundless thud, before having his mouth claimed by hers.

They didn't separate until they had to take a breath, and only long enough for that, before claiming each other again in a very passionate kiss.

And then, suddenly, it was as if the same plaited ribbon unraveled, as everything around them vanished, only half a second before they themselves did.

.-.

"I-CHI-GO!"

The aforementioned teen still could taste that kiss in his mouth, the mix of lilacs, vanilla, ice and something else that was uniquely Rukia.

At the sound of his father's yell he rolled out of bed, just in time to evade his dropkick, then jumped onto his feet and punched the older man out of his room in a fluid motion…all this while still having his eyes half-closed and not being fully awake.

"Good morning my son!" The old man continued yelling from outside. "Rise and shine my boy, it's a new day and…"

And the orange-haired tuned him out, as great as his sleep might have been he was in no mood to deal with his father that morning. The last thing he wanted was to have his day ruined by the stupidities of the man.

Still half immersed in the memory of his dream/vision/whatever, Ichigo took a shower, got dressed in a clean uniform, shouldered his bag and after going through the kitchen to pick up a piece of toast and a bit of juice he left the house.

Mizuiro was, like always, waiting for him outside. It had become so usual that Ichigo no longer had to wonder if he would be there.

"Hi Ichigo." The other boy greeted him with what seemed like a careful attitude.

"Hey Mizuiro." Ichigo answered him with a nod. "Lets get going."

Mizuiro nodded and they both got on the way. Still, Ichigo could notice the way the other boy wouldn't take his eyes off him, as if he were measuring each and every move of the orange-haired teen.

"Mizuiro, stop it." Ichigo told him shortly before they got to school.

"Ichigo?" The boy pretended to be oblivious, but it was no use, and he knew it.

"Stop looking at me like I'm some kind of fragile sculpture that's gonna break down at any moment." Ichigo half grumbled at him. "I'm fine."

And for the first time, he meant it, something Mizuiro nodded; it seemed to be enough to make the boy lay off him.

As they entered the classroom Ishida and Inoue seemed to eye him speculatively, Ichigo just waved and got to his place, he would allow Mizuiro to get them off his back.

'One lifetime…Just one lifetime to wait; and then we'll be together forever…'

* * *

Hope you liked it. I just really, really had to write this, after reading that chapter of the manga, and the fics some people have made. If you want one really great fic go look for one called "I remember" it's definitely the best 'Chapter-423' related fic out there.

Now, this was originally intended as a One-Shot, I actually have a few ideas that could be used to turn this into a series of One-Shots. All of them Ichiruki, and at some point maybe small mention of other pairings (though Ichigo and Rukia will never be with anyone but each other). If you wish for me to make more chapters tell me.

I also take this chance to greatly thank everyone reviewed and favorited my other Bleach fic "Choices of Life and Death", I'm delighted you liked it, I just hope if I could possibly get a few more reviews in this one, please. As great as being favorited is, I'm afraid i just love reading reviews too much...jejeje.

So, I'll be waiting for your response.

Ja ne!

P.S. Kubo Tite, take pity on us, and please, please get Ichigo and Rukia together already!


	2. To Wait a Lifetime

**To Wait a Lifetime **

When Rukia opened her eyes she could still feel her whole body tingling as a consequence of that last kiss she and Ichigo had shared, the aftertaste that wasn't really in her mouth and yet she could still sense was of a mix of strawberry, spice, danger and something else that made it all uniquely Ichigo.

Still half in a daze the young shinigami washed, got dressed in her shihakusho and went to train for a bit before the time came for her to report to her captain.

As she walked through the division's halls she noticed the people around her giving her ample berth, most went as far as looking anywhere but at her. She knew that some of them had always acted like that, they either disliked her for being a 'Rukongai brat' that somehow ended up being taken in by a noble family, or hated precisely because she was now a noble. Still, the few that had at some time accepted all that now turned away from her too, she supposed it was a consequence of the way she acted upon her return from the Transient World a few months ago. Back then she had been so utterly depressed she had closed off from everyone, not wanting to talk or see any of her friends or comrades. She'd spent nearly a full week locked inside her quarters, and only came out when her captain demanded she returned to her duties; even then she would go through the motions mechanically, never talking unless talked to, never wanting to be around other people unless absolutely necessary.

Weeks passed by and instead of getting better they got worse, and no one understood why. They thought it was because she was keeping it all in, and they tried to make her talk: to Renji, to Byakuya, to her captain, even to Unohana; nothing worked. She left them very clear she wasn't like this because she had to leave the Living World, not even because she'd had to say goodbye to Ichigo. And technically she wasn't lying, but how was she to explain to them that she'd had been waiting for months to see Ichigo again, every night waited, and he never appeared to her.

She instinctively knew that the way she was expecting Ichigo to appear to her wasn't normal, it wasn't something she could discuss with anyone. And yet, she also knew it was possible, she and Ichigo could connect, the very same way they had once before. She also knew it wasn't related to being a shinigami, not exactly; after all, Ichigo had used it once to find her, at a time when she hadn't been a shinigami, when no one but him and Kon even remembered someone named Kuchiki Rukia even existed. So now she believed that in that same manner they could reach each other again, in a way that didn't require him to actually have spiritual senses to see and be with her. And yet, he had to want to connect to her.

The weeks passed by, once by one, and Ichigo never showed up. Eventually Rukia began wondering if maybe he'd forgotten everything already, maybe he'd decided to move on with his life, and that's why he never showed up. If that was it, shouldn't she be happy for him? Wasn't that exactly what she had wanted? For him to move on? To have a peaceful life, like a normal human ought to? Yes, yes she should be happy for him. Then why did the mere thought of it all make her so utterly miserable?

.-.

It took several months of being in an almost perpetual depressed state for Rukia to finally ask her captain for a few of days off. He was only too happy to grant them to her, and eyed her speculatively as she left the division. She made it to the Kuchiki estate in record time and through their private senkai gate, thanking the spirits that because of the time of the day there had been no one around to question her on her destination or plans. The first was quite obvious: Karakura Town, and she wasn't totally sure of the second herself.

She exited the gate on a random street near the limits of Karakura Town and from there began walking in the direction of the highschool, it was early enough that she knew Ichigo would still be there.

It was actually lunch hour and Rukia found Ichigo sitting on the rooftop, along with his friends as was usual. They were all eating and chatting among themselves, even laughing a bit at times. Even Ichigo. For a moment Rukia wasn't sure how she should feel: happy because he had moved on, or sad because he'd forgotten her so quickly?

Lunch was over shortly after her arrival and she watched silently from a tree branch how everyone hurriedly got their things, jumped on their feet and ran into the building, obviously afraid of being late to the next class. Ichigo was the only one who didn't seem to be in any hurry whatsoever, taking his time to put his trash in the bin and then calmly walking to the door, hands in his pocket; a moment before crossing the door his head turned to the sky and Rukia noticed him whispering something, but it was so low and she was so far away she didn't hear what it was.

She spent the rest of the early afternoon watching over Ichigo from a nearby branch, at different points during the day she noticed Ishida, Inoue, Chad, and even a few others turn in her direction, though only the first three actually met her eyes, nodding as inconspicuously as they could to acknowledge her presence. They realized she wasn't there really to visit them, and therefore didn't bother trying to approach her, Rukia was thankful for that, she didn't think she could handle chatting with them, reminding herself so blatantly she could never visit Ichigo in the same way ever again.

The time finally came for the class to end and Rukia began following Ichigo. He walked for hours, never stopping for rest, snaking his way through Karakura in a manner that seemed pretty random at first. Rukia wondered how he could walk so much, never stopping to rest or to it, and as they moved she began realizing a few things: like how thin he seemed, he had always been slim, but now he locked almost sickly thin, his skin was almost too pale, not even his tan hiding it, even his hair seemed to reflect how little he cared for himself lately. That was the first signal Rukia got that he might not be as over her, over everything, as she'd initially come to believe.

The next came when she finally found the pattern in Ichigo's walks, they'd just arrived to the riverside, the same place where she'd had to watch him fight against that evil creature, Grand Fisher, she almost lost him that night; she also knows that's the same place when, as a little nice-year-old, he lost his own mother.

That was the first time since the beginning of his walk that he actually stopped, even if only for a minute, then he got moving again.

"You're remembering, aren't you?" Rukia whispered, half-shocked, half-touched. "All the places you've walked through, it wasn't at random, they were places where we battled, or where other important things happened…You walk through every single place, force yourself to remember everything…Do you do this every day Ichigo?"

She knew it was useless to expect an answer from him, he couldn't see, hear or sense her in any way, still, she kept following him. Now that she knew he hadn't forgotten, and not only that but that he'd taken steps to prevent himself from ever forgetting him, he wanted to know more, she needed to know more.

The last stop was actually the front of the clinic, she watched how he laid his hand on one of the streetlight-posts, his eyes closed for a moment, as if he were calling forth a memory of a time long past; this was one memory that remained pretty fresh in her own mind: of the very day it all began.

Then he crossed the street and turned to look back in the same direction for a moment, and then up into the sky. She recognize those motions too, it was the exact same stance he had taken when he could see her no more…the day everything ended.

They had come full circle it seemed. The beginning and the end of their adventure, the beginning and the end of her life…and maybe his as well…

She chose not to follow when he went inside, she knew both Isshin and Karin could see her, and was sure that if any of them did Ichigo would notice at some point, the last thing she wanted was to affect his life with her presence, especially when it wouldn't change anything. It was hard enough for her, she didn't want to make it worse for him too.

From her hiding spot in a nearby tree she could hear Yuzu calling him for dinner, and then how Ichigo refused to go down, arguing he wasn't hungry. For the way no one fought him on it, and Yuzu even delivered a tray with food to his door Rukia gathered this was nothing new. And then again, seeing how little of the contents of the tray he actually ate before throwing away the rest she began realizing just why he was so thin, why he looked so weak.

"But why Ichigo?" She asked to no one in particular. "Why aren't you eating? Why are you allowing yourself to grow so weak?"

It took hours for him to fall asleep, and even when he did he was very restless, she could feel the tension the moment she stepped into his room, he may have no powers anymore, and yet his very soul was drowning in despair. Rukia felt like her very weak, barely beating heart would finish breaking at any moment.

That certainly had to be the worst night in Rukia's life. She fell asleep in the closest in the early hours of morning after having to watch Ichigo spend practically the full night going from one nightmare to the next, he never spoke out, never cried, never trashed, he would just tense up and whisper the same word through gritted teeth.

And it was that word that had sent Rukia into her own sobbing fit, barely managing to control herself so as not to call another Kurosaki's attention into the room.

That word was: Rukia…

He kept calling her name over and over, as if it were some kind of prayer.

In the late hours of dawn she just couldn't handle it anymore, she knelt next to him and began to caress his hair very softly. The effect was almost immediate, his body went limp so fast that she almost cried out in panic, until she felt his calm breathing, his heart-rate too had gone back to what was normal for a sleeping human, and even his expression seemed relaxed.

However, with the sunrise she had to hurry and hide inside the closet, before Isshin noticed her, she used all her knowledge to fully hide her reiatsu and yet she almost threw caution to the wind when, merely seconds after she let go of him, Ichigo's restlessness came back. She didn't have long to contemplate on it however, because shortly afterwards he was out of bed and beginning his usual routine to get ready.

It was way too early to go to school yet, and yet not even his father seemed to find it odd as he watched Ichigo pass by in the hallway. With the door ajar Rukia was almost sure Isshin had turned in her direction, that he knew she was there, but still she remained in the same spot, unmoving. She finally fell asleep after listening to Mizuiro call for Ichigo, as it was time for them to go to school; she had felt how Ichigo had spent the early hours of the morning pacing on the roof, but hadn't dared get any closer to him, not again, she was afraid of losing control. Besides, Mizuiro would have been able to see her.

Rukia woke up again in the early afternoon, to find a bento and a juicebox in the desk, along with a note from Yuzu saying hello. She had been found, at least they hadn't told Ichigo. She knew it was a bad idea, to be there, so close, but she'd needed to see him. And after what she had witnessed the previous day, especially that night, she knew she'd to do something to help him, she just had no idea what.

After finishing the bento and juice Rukia noticed a notepad in a corner of the desk, and suddenly an idea occurred to her; it was crazy, and it defiantly went against her own reasoning of not interfering in Ichigo's life anymore… But spirits be damned if she was going to allow him to keep drowning in his own despair for the rest of his life!

After finding a Chappy pen in one of the nearby cases, her own pen as she remembered; Rukia wrote a short but direct letter, left it in the middle of the desk, and then allowed herself to have another nap, in her futon inside the closet, it was defiantly the best sleep she'd had in months.

.-.

It was late afternoon when Rukia woke up again, she knew it was a bad idea to stay, as much as she may want to be there when Ichigo read that letter, if his reaction was bad she might not be able to stop herself from touching him, and once she did…it would just be too hard.

So, swallowing her fears and barely managing to stop herself from taking the letter away before it could be read Rukia left the small bedroom and the Kurosaki residence itself behind. She decided to patrol around the town, even heard a hollow alert at some point, but by the time she got there the hollow had been dealt with; she wasn't sure if the resident shinigami was responsible, or one of her nakama, couldn't bring herself to care too much about it either.

That night she decided to spend it in the Urahara shop. And even as she laid down on the futon in one of the spare bedrooms she couldn't help but wonder how Ichigo might react when he read that letter…

It took her a while, but finally Rukia managed to relax enough to sleep. Like every night for the last several months her eyes opened to the ultimate Winter scenery. It was her domain, like a perfect hideout.

She began strolling calmly through the few trees in the limits of the frozen meadow, calmly extending her hand to hold a snowflake every so often. She didn't know if it was because she wielded a snow-based zanpakutou, because something was different with the snow in that realm, or simply because the world she was in wasn't truly real, but the snow didn't melt in her hands, neither did it make her feel cold. It was almost like holding a delicate white blossom, so beautiful, so special.

The young shinigami was considering skating for a while when suddenly she sensed a change in her surroundings…she was no longer alone.

"Ru…kia…"

She spun around immediately, and at first she didn't see the anything, until a gentle breeze helped her realize that the white form she was seeing a few feet away from her wasn't a tree or a rock, but a human figure, a white-yukata clad young man, the very one she'd been waiting for for so long. Yes, it was him, his orange-hair was unmistakable, as were his deep amber eyes, even if that moment his face was arranged into an expression of shock like none the violet-eyed shinigami had seen before.

"Ichi…go…" She whispered.

His eyes opened even more right then, it was really him, she knew that, though it seemed he hadn't fully realized that it was really her as well.

"Ru…kia…" he repeated. "Is that really you, Rukia?"

"Yes, it's really me, Ichigo." She nodded with a soft smile.

Barely two seconds later she felt her feet leave the ground as he held her into his arms, tightly enough that it would probably leave bruises; and yet in that moment she was so happy to have him there, with her, finally, that she didn't really care for a few bruises.

It took a few seconds before suddenly his knees folded underneath him. Still he didn't let go, instead allowing himself to fall backwards so she wouldn't get hurt.

"I can't believe you're really here…that I am really here." He whispered.

"I've been here, waiting for you, for a while now." She whispered back.

That was enough to send him reeling back into reality.

"You've been…waiting for me…" He gasped. "How long?"

"That doesn't matter." She told him softly, caressing his cheek with one hand. "What matters is that you're here now…"

"Answer my question Rukia." He insisted to her, holding her hand immobile, tough still in contact with his own face. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Three months, give or take." She admitted.

"That's been about as long as the time that has been since I lost my powers!" He cried out.

"I know."

"You've been waiting for me all this time…" he practically slapped himself. "I've been so stupid. So utterly and absolutely stupid…and to think that if it weren't for your letter everything would have continued the same way…"

"So that means you read my letter?" She smiled brightly at this.

"Of course I read it. Nearly gave me a heart attack, when I saw that pen over my desk, and then your little scrawls over the paper. Nearly thought I had gone nuts, finally."

"But you understood what my message meant."

"Obviously." He deadpanned, then began repeating her message word for word. "You once said we were linked, that you believed we'd been linked for a very long time, and once such links are created they cannot be broken. I believe that too. You've used that bond to find me once already, you can do it again; you only need to try." He sighed and then embraced her tightly again. "I began trying right away, and yet it took me a very long time. At first because of my doubts of not being able to do it. After all, I was a shinigami back then, I don't have any power any more, how was I supposed to find you? And yet I did it, somehow, after what felt like the longest time, I finally found my way to you."

"I'm glad you did." She told him, giving him a long kiss on the cheek and then whispering into his ear. "I've missed you so much…"

"Me too Rukia, me too…" He admitted.

They stayed in that very some position for what could have easily been five minutes or five hours, they couldn't bring themselves to care either way. Until suddenly Ichigo got moving.

He managed to get once again on his knees, with Rukia straddling here.

"I'm so stupid…" he began suddenly.

"I think we already covered that." She quipped with a small laugh.

"Shut it midget." He snapped a bit, but his tone almost immediately went back to being serious yet soft. "Here I have another chance and I'm once again letting my fears ruled me. Zangetsu would have been pissed at me…"

This confused Rukia, she had no idea what he was talking about.

"There was something I should have said all those months ago, the day I lost my powers." He began explaining. "Something I should have said but didn't, I let fear rule me, but not anymore. There's no way I'm letting this chance go."

"What are you talking about, Ichi…?"

She couldn't even finish her question, for suddenly her lips were too busy for any sound to come out of them, except the moan that came almost a full minute later.

"I love you Rukia…" was all he whispered a bit later, his lips still touching hers lightly.

No verbal answer was given, nor was it needed, her answering earth-shattering kiss was more than enough for both.

.-.

The following morning she didn't know if she should laugh or rant at Ichigo next time she saw him. The change in him was so profound, he either didn't want or just couldn't hide it. The way he greeted his family that morning, actually ate breakfast, chatted with Mizuiro on the way to school; it was shocking. She noticed the difference during their lunch period too, what at first she had believed was normal now it was obvious just how forced it had all been, the smiles, the laughs, the frivolous chat; only now, seeing what Ichigo really was like in a good mood, did she realize how false everything from two days before had been. And apparently so did his friends, the shock in their faces was simply priceless.

She couldn't help but berate him when they met that night, remind him how abnormal their situation was, and that it would be best if they didn't call attention upon themselves. Though, to be honest, she could already imagine her own change in attitude would be pretty obvious too upon her own return. She just hoped no one would care to dig too deep into that.

And then there was their promise, they'd promised to wait for a lifetime, for their chance to be together again. She knew very well that could be from a few days to over fifty years. And as sad as it made her to have to wait for so long, and as much as she wanted for them to be together already; she knew he deserved to have his human life, there would be enough time for them to be together later, millennia worth of time. And just the fact that they would one day be able to be together, that nothing and no one would be able to tear them apart then, was enough for Rukia to be ready to handle whatever was to come.

.-.

There was a smile on Rukia's face as she crossed the Senkai gate back to Seireitei that morning, everyone noticed, and yet no one dared to ask her any questions.

She spent most of the day gathering her things from her room in the Kuchiki estate, deciding it was time to go back to full duty. People would ask about it whether she did it then or a year from then, and she decided that if Ichigo had promised to live his life to its best then she had to do the same thing. She wondered what Ichigo's face would look like if she managed to achieve some high rank by the time he joined her? She would love to see it! All the more reason to focus and improve herself in the time she had.

That night she saw Ichigo again, as a routine was formed. They both explained to each other how they were getting their lives back in order, it was time to let go of their depression; yes, he might no longer have the power to see or feel her in the real world, she might no longer be able to spend every single day with him. But they still had lives to live, and people who worried for them, they couldn't throw their lives away just because they fell sad; and whatever may come, they would always have that bond, that would allow them to meet every night, in their dreams, till the day they might once again stand side by side.

"Kuchiki Rukia, reporting for duty, sir!" She spoke formally as she stood before her captain, now that her time off was finished.

Ukitake watched her, and he could see in her eyes the change in her. She was so strong, able to move past things that may have crippled the strongest of warriors, but not her. He had no idea what had changed, and he chose not to ask her. Having her back was enough.

"It's good to have you back, Rukia-san." He smiled at her.

Her answering smile was blinding, a smile of hope, of life, of love…

* * *

I'm sad to say I had expected a bit of a more positive reaction to this fic...still I'm very thankful for the two people who saw fit to review, as well as tho those who marked this story in either their alerts or their favorites.

Here I've brought you the second part of this fic, which probably should have gone before the other one, except that when I first planned this story I like the impact Ichigo's attitude would cause on Orihime. Not sure it went quite like I had hoped, but what's done is done.

Now, just to let you know, this fic will have a total of four chapters, so not really a short fic, and yet not an epic (like most I write). I hope you'll like what's to come, the next chapter will be up next Friday, sooner if I get enough reviews asking for it. And just so you have an idea what to expect I leave you this little teaser:

_"Rukia!" He yelled as soon as he saw her. "Are you alright?"_

_"Ichigo!" Rukia called, shocked at his sudden arrival. "...I'm alright, why shouldn't I be?" She was truly utterly confused._

_"I know there was a fight today, and that you were injured." He explained, his eyes boring into hers. "I've spent the last eight hours waiting for a moment when I could meet you, to make sure you were alright."_

_"I already told you I'm ok." Rukia reassured him. "...how did you know I was fighting, or that I got wounded?"_

_"I felt it." She answered her, a hand going to his chest. "In here." _

That and more in "Everlasting Bonds"'s next chapter: _Changing Seasons.  
_


	3. Changing Seasons

Hello! I'm back, and with a little warning this time. Ichigo is way OOC in the first part of this chapter, and while someone warned me about doing this, the same person also told me not to change anything unless I really wanted; I thought long and hard on this matter and in the end decided the scene needed to stay the way it is; there's a very good reason why Ichigo acts like that, and you'll find a clue of it in the third scene of the chapter, if that's not enough for you you might ask me in a review and I'll explain it better.

**

* * *

Changing Seasons **

It had been a few months since the rather special couple had begun meeting every night during dreams, summer was nearing, less than a week away now. And this was the first night that instead of spending what time they had together sharing stories of their day and kissing every so often, the two had spent it in almost absolute silence, broken once in a while with a half-muffled sob, or some whispered words of comfort.

It was the night of the 16th of June, or really pre-dawn of the 17th by now; defiantly the worst night in the whole year for a certain former-shinigami. And yet, for the first time in his almost seventeen years of life, he wasn't alone.

It wasn't that he had no one else, more that he didn't want to bother others. He knew how sad everyone in his family was that night, how it was the only time Karin let herself cry, and Yuzu slept with her to prevent bad dreams. His father…Ichigo actually had no idea what he did those nights, but suspected he didn't even spend them in his room. Considering how much they were already suffering, even now, seven years after the tragedy; Ichigo didn't dare make it even harder on them. At first it was because he believed he was guilty, that he'd been the one to take their beloved mother away from the family, a part of him couldn't help but still feel that way; the rest of him however simply believed that he was meant to be the family protector, and not just because of his name, but because of the powers he used to possess, he'd to look after his family, not make things worse for them.

The young orange-haired man barely managed to strangle the cry that wanted to leave his lips.

"Sh…Ichigo…it's alright." She assured him, her fingers combing softly through his hair in a very soothing gesture.

"I'm…sorry…Ru…Rukia." Ichigo whispered in a hoarse voice. "I sho…shouldn't be bothering you with this…I shouldn't have come…"

"Don't you dare even think that Ichigo!" Rukia hissed at him, her hand on his cheek now. "I practically had to pull your soul to me." She shook her head and sighed. "There was just no way I would have let you be alone tonight. No way. I would even have gone to the Living World if it had become necessary."

"Rukia…" He didn't even know what to say to that.

"I don't know why you insist on spending this night on your own, suffering in silence." The violet-eyed shinigami half-admonished him. "They love you, you know? Karin, Yuzu, even Isshin, crazy as he might be. They care for you, they worry about you; they would love to help you if you just gave them the chance…"

"It's…already bad enough for them. I'm…not gonna…gonna make it worse…"

"You think it's not bad enough for them to see you suffer and not be able to do anything, because you won't let them?"

Ichigo didn't answer, he just closed his amber eyes before she could see the guilt that was filling them, not for the first time. But she just knew him too well.

"Ichigo, you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened." She whispered softly. "It wasn't your fault, but Grand Fisher's; and he doesn't even exist anymore, your father made sure of that. You know he doesn't blame you for what happened that night, how could you have made any difference? You were just a kid!" she shook her head. "You are the only one placing any blame on yourself Ichigo, and it's time you stop doing it." Something occurred to her then. "You think your mother would be happy if she saw you now? How do you think she would feel if she knew you were blaming yourself for something she did? She sacrificed herself for you, yes, but it was her decision to make. You placing blame on yourself lessens her right for a choice; and with this guilt you've placed on yourself holding you down, it kinda makes you having survived a moot point at times."

She knew she was being harsh, but it was high time he understood the truth, it was time he left the past where it belonged, behind, and moved on. The previous year she'd had too little information, now it was different, she wouldn't let him go through another anniversary suffering like this, she just loved him too much.

It took a few minutes more, but finally the tears subsided and, for the first time in the whole night, something close to a smile appeared on the young man's face.

"Thank you, Rukia." He whispered, bringing her hand to his lips to kiss.

"It was my turn to save you." She replied kissing his brow.

"Be there tomorrow?" He half-pleaded to her.

"Already planned to." She reassured him.

This time there was definitely a smile on his face, it was barely a minute twitch of the lips, but it was there.

The following morning the Kurosaki family arrived to the graveyard like every year. They cleaned the tomb, said their prayers, lightened some incense and arranged some flowers before sitting together for some lunch. The two girls purposefully arranged the picnic so some food would be on an empty side, for their visitor. Yuzu still couldn't see Rukia, but Karin and Isshin did, they were grateful for her visit and showed it by offering her some of their own lunch. If Ichigo noticed the extra food he didn't say anything.

In the early afternoon the girls went back to the tomb, where they began telling their mom everything they had done in the last year. Their father was a few feet away, sitting on some stone steps, having his annual smoke. Ichigo stood with his back laying against a tree, and right on his side: Rukia.

"Rukia…" He whispered in a very low voice. "Thank you for being here."

He couldn't see her, or even feel her. But he knew she was there. He wasn't stupid, he had noticed the extra food, and how it kept disappearing; besides, she'd said she would be there.

"You're welcome, Ichigo…" She whispered back, a hand briefly brushing his cheek.

And while he couldn't really feel her touch on his skin, he somehow felt it inside.

Without a single word more Ichigo suddenly moved from his position and to his sisters. He went to kneel right between them, an arm around each of their shoulders. Then he greeted his mom and swiftly began telling her of his year as well, Karin and Yuzu complimenting a story where they could.

"Thank you."

Rukia nearly jumped from her spot when she heard Isshin's voice suddenly right beside her.

"Isshin-san…" She couldn't believe she hadn't sensed him approaching. "I don't know…"

"What I'm talking about?" He finished for her. "I don't know what you did, or how you did it, but you've somehow given me my son back; given Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan their brother back. For that I thank you."

"I don't know how you can think I'm responsible for this." Rukia insisted. "I have barely come to the Transient World in months, and Ichigo certainly isn't able to see or hear me anymore. What makes you think I can have anything to do with this?"

"Like I said, I don't know the whats or hows, but I'm quite sure somehow you did it." Isshin insisted. "The reasons don't really matter. What matters is that we've got Ichigo back, finally, after seven years. I feared this day would never come…" he let out a muffled noise that in a lesser man would have been a sob. "Seeing him every year break down, never allowing any of us to offer any comfort…I know he believed himself to be responsible for Masaki's death, even after I insisted to him time and time again there was nothing he could have done. Today, for the first time, I can truly say I believe my son will get over this." He smiled very softly at the shinigami. "So let me say it again, thank you Rukia, you truly are like a daughter to me, I hope you know that."

"Thank you, Isshin-san, for accepting me into your family." She whispered back, her chest tight with a feeling she couldn't fully understand.

Unnoticeable to either of them Ichigo had briefly raised his head and turned around, one of his hands discretely reaching for his own chest for a moment before shaking his head and going back to spending some quality time with his sisters and mom.

.-.

It was months later, almost nearing the end of September now; it was also the first night since his 'miraculous recovery' that Ichigo had hardly eaten anything at dinner. His family had also noticed he seemed quite tense for some reason but long ago they had realized it was useless to ask, if Ichigo wanted to share a part of his life he would, no prodding needed; and at the same time, when he wanted to keep something private, nothing anyone said or did would change his mind; he was just too stubborn.

Of course Ichigo couldn't tell them he was too stressed out to eat, worried about someone he supposedly hadn't had any contact with for over half a year now.

As soon as he could he left the table and locked himself inside his room. There it took him almost half an hour, a very stressful half an hour to get his body relaxed enough to fall asleep.

The moment his feet touched the well-known white ground he hurried in the direction he somehow already knew his beloved was.

"Rukia!" He yelled as soon as he saw her. "Are you alright?"

She was sitting on a rock, right next to the edge of the frozen lake. Something Ichigo failed to notice as his feet touched the surface of the lake, still at a run…a second later he found himself laying on the icy surface, his head aching due to the impact.

"Ichigo!" Rukia called, shocked at his sudden arrival.

He accepted his help to get back on his feet, slow and careful so as not to slip again.

As soon as they were off the ice Ichigo ignored his own pounding headache, held her by the shoulders, and allowed his eyes to examine her up and down, as if searching for something.

"Ichigo, what's gotten into you?" Rukia asked, confused. "The way you're acting is so strange. And you just fell down and hit your head. Are you sure you are alright?"

"I'm fine Rukia." He almost snapped at her. "And I asked that question first."

"I'm alright, why shouldn't I be?" She was truly utterly confused.

"I know there was a fight today, and that you were injured." He explained, his eyes boring into hers. "I've spent the last eight hours waiting for a moment when I could meet you, to make sure you were alright."

"I already told you I'm ok." Rukia reassured him. "Hanatarou did an excellent job and I wasn't really hurt that badly to begin with." Something seemed to occur to her right then. "How do you even know there was a fight? You can't…"

"No, I still can't see or feel anything spiritual." Ichigo practically growled.

He had never felt as useless as he'd earlier in the afternoon, when he'd sensed his beloved fighting, and then the echo of the pain as she was wounded. It had been bad enough when he had lost his spiritual powers, when he had realized he could no longer help his friends fight the good fight, could no longer protect his sisters from the monsters he knew were out there; but his friends still had each other, and his sisters had their father to help. Feeling Rukia fighting, alone, and then get wounded…it was simply excruciating.

"Ichigo, listen to me." Rukia called his attention back from his brooding. "Answer me this, how did you know I was fighting, or that I got wounded?"

"I felt it." She answered her, a hand going to his chest. "In here."

Rukia's steeled gaze was enough to convince him to explain further.

"I had a free period." Ichigo explained. "In one of the few classes I don't share with the others. It occurred to me that we always meet in dreams, and I wondered if I could somehow reach you during the day. Insane as the idea might have been, I had quite some free time, so I gave it a try." He sighed. "I never did reach the Winter-scape, instead everything around me remained like a mix of white and black, with some red thrown in for good measure. I was going to give up and wake up again when I felt something, like a rush of adrenaline. Cold gusts of wind would sweep past me every so often, and the tension kept escalating, it didn't take long for me to guess what was going on. And then the pain, it went by fast, just like the wind, but it was enough for me to know you had been wounded. I wanted to do something, I felt so…impotent, just floating there, in the nothingness, knowing you were hurt and I couldn't help. And then I vaguely heard someone screaming my name and woke up."

Rukia's eyes were wide. Never, in the six months or so that had passed by since they had begun meeting in their dreams could she have imagined their link to be used in the way he had used it. For him to have been able to sense her while awake, mostly, and to be able to guess so accurately what had happened. It was simply shell-shocking.

"Listen to me Ichigo." She spoke seriously. "I don't want you to do that again, ever."

"Like hell I won't!" He flat out refused.

"Ichigo!" She yelled at him so he would pay attention. "Please, I don't want you to do it, not again. As grateful as I am for your worry, for your caring; I don't want to go into every battle wondering if you're feeling it, if I'm making you worry, or worse, hurt. It is one thing for us to meet at night, but another very different to have you subject yourself to unnecessary things."

"Not unnecessary." Ichigo refused. "I may no longer have the power to help you, to protect you, but I'll be damned if I won't at least be there in any way I can and make sure you're alright. Haven't you understood it already midget? I love you!"

"I do too Ichigo, more than you can imagine. And that's exactly why you shouldn't do this…" She didn't dare speak out her thoughts. "And yet at the same time I can't help but be happy; knowing that you'll always be with me, even if not physically. Does that make me selfish?"

"No, it doesn't."

His answer was so unexpected Rukia almost jumped.

"You, heard all that?" She asked in a very small voice, flushing with embarrassment.

"Yes I did." He admitted, with a half grin. "And there's nothing to be ashamed of. I too am happy to be able to connect with you, even if I'm too useless to help you."

"You're not useless, never." She insisted in a very strong voice. "This," she moved her hand to encircle them as well as their surroundings. "is enough."

"Good, because it's the best I can do at the time."

On the early morning Ichigo would wake to find a bigger than usual breakfast waiting for him, he would devour it gratefully, hungry after barely eating anything the previous day; and his family would just watch with small smiles, happy that whatever it was that had affected him the previous day had sorted itself out already. And life would go on.

.-.

Even though there was no obvious change in light in what Ichigo had long ago dubbed the Winter-scape, both him and Rukia could sense when dawn approached, as with it came their time to say their goodbyes and focus on getting back to their bodies.

Even after nearly nine months of constant meetings Ichigo wasn't fully sure of how everything worked, and he didn't care much to find out either. As far as he was concerned 'something' allowed the two of them to meet every night in some realm out of either of their worlds, a place where it didn't matter that he no longer had any spiritual power, or that she wasn't really living while he was, a place where only the fact that they loved each other mattered.

"Don't forget to go over to my house today." Ichigo reminded her. "I know you usually don't, because you don't see a reason, but you need to pick up your gift."

Rukia just nodded, taking a moment to kiss him one more time.

Then they were both gone.

Ichigo blinked a couple of times to get used to the clear light going through his bedroom window. From it he could see the snow-covered streets and gardens; they looked beautiful, and yet nothing could possibly compare to the beauty of the realm he had just left behind, though that could have probably been more because of the company he had while there than the place itself.

Breakfast was defiantly a disastrous affair in the Kurosaki home that morning, not that the former Shinigami had expected any less; when it came to his father everything seemed to end up being a disaster.

The four exchanged presents and then went their separate ways. Ichigo making sure to take a cup of hot cocoa and a piece of cake to his room, where he left both on his desk beside a small box wrapped in silvery-colored paper. He added beside it a note wishing Merry Christmas and then left the room to take a shower, his friends would be expecting him for lunch.

No more than a minute after Ichigo had left the room a new figure stepped inside delicately. Clad in the usual black shihakusho and with a cloak over it for good measure, Rukia smiled at the thoughtful objects placed on the desk. She ate the food happily, enjoying greatly Yuzu's cooking, especially after not having tasted it in months. Sensing the sisters still in the house she raised her voice just enough to tell them thank you, a message which she knew Karin would pass on to her twin.

As soon as she was done with the food Rukia put the little message inside her kosode and proceeded to open her present. She wished she could do it with Ichigo there, but she knew it was hard on him when something happened that reminded him what he had lost; and him seeing a present open itself would be quite obvious. What she saw inside was so beautiful, and so obviously heartfelt that she couldn't help let a few tears fall.

Her deep musings however were interrupted when the bedroom door opened and an Ichigo with his hair still damp and with nothing more than a towel around his waist stepped in.

Rukia immediately went as red as Renji's hair and began rushing to get out of there before Ichigo decided to begin getting dressed. She quickly brought a small wrapped parcel out of her sleeve, it had been altered by Urahara along with several others to be physical. She left it on the now otherwise empty desk, collected her own gift and made her way to the window in a rush. It was only in the last moment that she turned back around and softly kissed Ichigo in the lips, whispering a soft 'Merry Christmas' before shunpoing out of the room.

Several yards away Rukia couldn't help but chuckle softly, while still pretty flushed herself she could remember the way Ichigo had suddenly gone red himself, right before she had left the room. He had explained to her, how even with no spiritual senses he could feel something inside him when she touched him, it wasn't the actual touch, but more like what brought them together every night. She didn't fully understand his explanation, but then again hers wasn't the same situation as his; and yet, considering how he had blushed such a deep red, she was sure he'd realized in that moment she was there…this only made her blush even more.

"Kuchiki-san?" She heard someone call her.

It was unmistakably Orihime calling her, Rukia hadn't realized she had gotten all the way to her neighborhood already.

"Are you alright, Rukia-san?" Orihime asked, worried about her friend. "You look so red."

"I'm fine." Rukia reassured her. "It's just the cold."

"Very well." Orihime accepted the half-lie easily enough. "Merry Christmas then."

At that Orihime offered a wrapped gift to Rukia, which the shinigami accepted after producing one of her own for the russet-haired girl who was, without a doubt, one of her best friends.

The rest of the morning went by in the exact same way, as Rukia visited friends and exchanged presents with them. Finally leaving the last place when Ichigo arrived and the group all came together. No one said anything, tried to ask her to stay, they knew better.

It was still early afternoon but Rukia knew she had to get back, even though Christmas wasn't usually celebrated in Soul Society, those who had been on the Transient World long enough to learn about its traditions had wanted to get together and celebrate on their own.

Before going through the gate Rukia had to hand Urahara the several boxes of presents she had acquired so he could use one of his machines to make them spiritual. If he ever noticed there was one box more than there should have been he didn't ask.

Back in Seireitei everyone was waiting for her, since apparently she was the last to arrive; she handed to some of them like Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Renji, etc. some gifts the others had sent them, and showed off those that had been given to her, except for one:

Two hearts, one made out of mother of pearl, the other out of black onyx, each with a small stone hanging from the middle of the heart: the first an amethyst, the second a topaz; and the two were bound through a length of red silk ribbon.

That same ribbon was in that moment wound around Rukia's neck, hidden beneath her kosode, with the hearts laying comfortably between her breasts, over her own heart.

.-.

It was the beginning of April, and it signified so many things…to most it was the obvious: the beginning of spring, as the beautiful sakura tree's bloomed, and also the beginning of a new school year; for two particular people there was something else that made that day even more special, a reason no one but each other was privy to.

"Kurosaki-kun!" A voice called.

"Orihime, we've known each other for so long, you can very well call me Ichigo, everyone else does." Ichigo pointed out to one of his best friends. "Unless you think Ishida wouldn't like it, I really don't want to end up with an arrow in my behind due to his jealousy…"

Ichigo chuckled at his own declaration, at the same time Orihime blushed slightly. It had been months since the young healer and the quincy had begun dating, and both would still blush at the slightest provocation, something Ichigo seemed to find extremely amusing. But aside from that, he was really happy for them, he knew at some point Orihime had had a crush on him, but he'd never been able to see her as anything more than a great friend, almost a sister. It was good to see her be happy with Uryuu, the same kind of happiness he was fortunate enough to know with his beloved shinigami…even if no one was privy to it.

"We were planning on going to a club tonight." Orihime remembered what she was saying.

"Sorry, I've got plans." Ichigo excused himself with a half-smile. "Maybe next time. You should go enjoy yourselves!"

Just a year before Orihime would have taken that statement as nothing more than an excuse that he was going to brood again; but then again, so much had changed in that year. Ichigo actually smiled now, not even before the whole Soul-Society debacle had he done that; Orihime wasn't sure what the reason was behind Ichigo's change, but she was grateful for it, they all were.

When Rukia first had left, when they had all seen just how depressed this made Ichigo, they had feared he would never be able to move on. It was more than just him having lost his shinigami powers, Uryuu had explained, drawing from his own experience, it was having lost a life he had chosen. Uryuu had been fortunate enough to have regained his powers, Ichigo, however, not so much. And yet Ichigo had somehow moved on, and not just regarding his loss of power, but also from the tragedy that had befallen his family so many years ago. Now he smiled, though not much, his usual scowl wasn't as pronounced as before, and he didn't seem to mind when Soul Society, shinigami, or their powers were brought up in some conversation.

Yes, whatever may have happened, whoever may have helped Ichigo move on, Orihime and everyone else were very grateful for it.

"Very well." She smiled. "Have a good day Ku…Ichigo."

The orange haired young man smiled and nodded as he watched his friend walk down the street, leaving him as the last person in the school.

There was a gentle breeze as a frigid touch reached into Ichigo's very soul.

"Hey," He whispered to the apparently empty air. "Ready?"

He didn't wait for an answer, he wouldn't have been able to hear it anyway. Instead he walked to one side of the school and began talking out loud, reminding himself and his unseen companion of the things they had gone through in that place.

Minutes later they left the school grounds, went through several streets before stopping at a nondescript corner, where he began talking once again.

The streets were mostly empty, and the few people passing by didn't pay any attention to the young man who, for all intents and purposes was talking to himself; and even if they had noticed he wouldn't have cared.

Truth is he wasn't talking to himself, even if not even he could actually see the person he was talking to. Rukia was standing right beside him, listening to his recount of their adventures, as they kept moving through the town at a slow pace. Every once in a while, when they hit on a rather hard memory (like the night she'd been taken away from him) she would slowly caress his face, or kiss him on the cheek, allowing her reiatsu to touch him, allowing his soul to know she was there even when his body would never sense her.

It was evening already when the couple arrived to their last destination, the Kurosaki home. It was empty right then, as the twins were spending the night at some friend's house, to celebrate their beginning of junior-high, while Isshin had his weekly 'reunion' of sorts with Urahara and the others, no one really knew what they did on those reunions, neither did they care to ask.

Ichigo opened the door to the house, and left it open what he judged was enough time for Rukia to walk inside as well; while she very well could have just gone through the door, he still acted like that when he knew she was there.

Yuzu had left some dinner in the fridge, knowing how hopeless her older brother was in the kitchen, thankfully there was enough for two.

"Lets eat together tonight." Ichigo spoke. "It's a special night, I promise not to care that I can't really see you."

The only answer he got were some glasses 'floating' to the table, to be joined by napkins, right as Ichigo served the reheated food on two plates and placed them on the table.

It was a somewhat disconcerting sight, to have the food disappeared into nothingness, it reminded Ichigo of a movie he'd watched once, about an invisible man. He actually chuckled. And even though he couldn't see Rukia, he imagined her confusion at his laughter, so he explained it out loud. He was laughing once again right as he finished, but this time more strongly, as he felt deep amusement fill him inside, far more than his own ever could.

Once they were done with dinner, the rather unorthodox couple retired to the teen's room, where he simply laid on the bed, moving to the very corner of it, right against the wall, a silent signal for his beloved to join him.

Laying together, it was no trouble to relax enough to allow their minds to reach a different plane, one where he no longer had to talk to the air, one where her touches were actually felt.

"Hey," He greeted her softly.

They found themselves laying in the snow, underneath the very same tree Ichigo had first seen exactly twelve months before.

"Happy anniversary midget." He added, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Happy anniversary to you too, fool." She quipped. "And is that what you call a kiss?"

For all answer he gathered her in his arms, pulling her body flush against his, as he kissed her long and passionately, enough for all thought to be erased from both of their minds.

They remained in that same position for an indeterminate amount of time, when suddenly Rukia noticed a very thoughtful expression on her beloved's face.

"What is it?" She asked.

But he didn't answer, instead he pulled both of them to their feet, stopping her with a finger to her soft lips when she almost spoke again. Once he made sure she was standing he dropped on one knee right before her and began talking before she could so much as gasp.

"Marry me." He said, his voice thick with feeling.

"What…?" She was too shocked to even think properly at the time.

"Not now, obviously." Ichigo began almost babbling. "We can't really marry each other when we live in different worlds, and I haven't had a chance to buy a ring yet. But I would really like it if you were to marry me, someday, when our waiting comes to an end, when we can finally be truly together, in the real world, whichever it ends up being."

Silence reigned for a while, could have been a minute or an hour. Until suddenly something wet touched Ichigo's cheek, at first he thought it had begun to snow, as it sometimes seemed to in that place, but as he raised his face he noticed those weren't snowflakes, but tears, his beloved was crying.

"Oh Rukia…" Ichigo called, deeply apologetic. "Don't cry, please. I know it was stupid of me to ask this right now. I've already made things hard enough, having you wait for me for a lifetime, I shouldn't try to extract any more promises from you, I…"

"You should shut up and wait for an answer." She demanded. "Though, you haven't really asked me yet."

"What?" Ichigo was so intent on getting her to stop crying he was suddenly lost at her words.

"Ask me Ichigo." She almost ordered. "And properly this time."

"Rukia, I love you, and I promise to keep loving you in this life and as many lives as there may be after this one, on and on till my soul no longer exists." He declared, voice full of feeling. "Would you do me the honor, of sharing that eternity with me as my wife?"

A deep passionate kiss, at the same time a lithe body crashed into him with enough strength to send them both into the snow once again was enough of a reply, at least, until a spoken one was given minutes later:

"Yes, I'll be your wife." She whispered against his lips. "It'll be my pleasure to share this life, and as many as may come by your side, Ichigo."

* * *

So, how did you like this? Because I truly hope you liked this. I decided to update today instead in tomorrow because, honestly, I'm not even sure if I'll get a chance to use my computer tomorrow. My parents and my siblings are dropping down for a visit and we'll likely spend the whole weekend going to places. So instead of doing my homework for this afternoon's class, I'm here working on my fic.

So, just one chapter left, the longest chapter of the whole fic. I briefly considered making the fic longer, using some ideas I got after reading chapter 424; but in the end decided that I have way too much work right now, both with school and a few fics I had already promised beforehand, I don't have time to end up with another WIP in my hands. So this'll be it. What I am considering doing is a sequel of sorts for this, another short fic, no more than five chapters, regarding how Ichigo does in the afterlife, and a more difinite epilogue to a few characters and pairings. Not so sure about that one yet, and even if I do it it might take a while.

So, the only thing left for now is the sneak-peak for next chapter. (and hey, give me enough reviews and I might be convinced to update even earlier this time!):

_Rukia was standing before Capt. Ukitake, giving the daily report on patrols and squad training when suddenly a sharp pain took over her senses, making her knees fold underneath her and only a quick move of her arms prevented her from crashing fully into the ground._

_'What's going on?' She asked herself._

_Quickly the violet eyed shinigami began checking herself, nothing seemed to be wrong, and yet the pain just wouldn't go away; it took her several tries before she finally managed to push it to a corner of her mind, at the same time realizing what it meant._

_"Ichigo!" She screamed as she jumped onto her feet._

.-.

_"Go Rukia-san."_

_That was all she needed, a fraction of a second later she was gone._

_Moving at speeds that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago, Rukia got to the Kuchiki estate in record time. She knew it would be far easier to use her position to order the servants to open their private Senkai gate than wait for the 12th Division to authorize her pass through the official one. _

_Time was running out, she had to hurry._

That and a hell of a lot more in Everlasting Bond's finale (and I'm not telling you the name of the chapter yet...you'll find out in due time). _  
_


	4. Dying to Live

Ok, so I decided it was a good idea to update today, since I probably wasn't going to get anymore reviews. Though I'm still a bit put off that I have only seven reviews per chapter (and only in the last two) while 13 people have this fic in their alerts and 20 have favorited it. Not very logical if you ask me, but I guess the only thing that really counts is that you liked the fic.

So here it goes, the grand finale (I hope so). It's also the longest chapter in the whole fic...I briefly considered breaking it down into two parts but then realized you wouldn't be very happy with me if I did that. So here it is. Enjoy.

**

* * *

Dying to Live **

It was mid-afternoon already and Rukia was standing before Capt. Ukitake, giving the daily report on patrols and squad training. High on her arm she could feel the comfortable weight of the lieutenant badge; she still felt giddy every time she reminded herself of her position, no matter however long or short a time she'd had it.

"Very well Rukia-san…" Ukitake began talking as she finished her report.

If he said anything else she didn't noticed, for right then a sharp pain took over her senses, making her knees fold underneath her and only a quick move of her arms prevented her from crashing fully into the ground.

"Rukia!" Ukitake called out, very worried.

"Kuchiki-fukutaicho!" She barely heard Kiyone's and Sentarou's cries.

'What's going on?' She asked herself.

Quickly the violet eyed shinigami began checking herself, nothing seemed to be wrong, and yet the pain just wouldn't go away; it took her several tries before she finally managed to push it to a corner of her mind, at the same time realizing what it meant.

"Ichigo!" She screamed as she jumped onto her feet.

Ukitake watched her oddly, confused by her sudden cry. The two third seats on the other side ended up on the ground, having moved too fast away from her at her sudden jump.

Rukia in that moment wanted nothing more than to shunpo out of the office and in the direction of the closest Senkaimon as fast as her power could take her; but she retained enough sense of self to realize she still had a superior to answer to.

"Ukitake-taichou." She spoke, taking deep breaths to ignore the sharp pain while not fully blocking it. "My deepest apologies. I know this is highly inappropriate, but I need to ask you for leave, right now." She winced slightly as she realized the pain wasn't ceasing, that couldn't be good. "I'm really sorry for my offense sir, but it's an emergency."

"An emergency…" Ukitake repeated, watching Rukia carefully. "And it somehow involves Kurosaki Ichigo…I thought you hadn't gone to see him in years."

"I really don't have time to explain right now, Ukitake-taicho." Rukia replied through gritted teeth. "Trust me that I haven't broken any rules, not lately. Something's wrong with Ichigo, I can't tell you how I know, only that it is the truth. And I need to hurry."

Ukitake still didn't understand half of what Rukia was saying, but she knew his fukutaicho and trusted her enough to believe her.

"Go Rukia-san."

That was all she needed, a fraction of a second later she was gone.

Moving at speeds that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago, Rukia got to the Kuchiki estate in record time. She knew it would be far easier to use her position to order the servants to open their private Senkai gate than wait for the 12th Division to authorize her pass through the official one. She didn't have the time.

*How bad is it?* She turned her voice into her own mind.

*It's bad Rukia, very bad.* A voice answered her softly, for the owner knew how much this situation pained the young shinigami.

*I had had a bad feeling all day, I just would have never imagined it would become something like this…* Rukia half-admonished herself.

*None of us could have known Rukia, you cannot blame yourself.* The same voice said.

*Ichigo won't like it if you blame yourself.* Another voice added. *Whatever it is that has happened, there's nothing you could have done to stop it.*

*I know it's just…* Rukia didn't even know what to say.

*All you can do now is hurry.* The same voice told her. *Remember, whether the time has come or not, you cannot be late…We cannot be late.*

*I know.*

Right then the Senkai Gate finally opened and Rukia jumped into it, right as she felt her older brother's energy approaching; he probably wouldn't be too happy with her, but it couldn't be helped. Time was running out, she had to hurry.

.-.

Kurosaki Ichigo, once the most powerful shinigami to exist, was in that moment laying on the floor of a small candy store, an awful wound on his stomach and a growing puddle of blood beneath him, his own blood. He was just laying there, unable to help himself in anyway; as bad as the pain was, he knew he'd been through worse, granted, it had been a long time ago, but the thought was enough to keep him focused.

The shrill cry of a girl brought him fully back to his senses.

"So…ra…" he called out in a very low voice.

"She's alright sir." An old woman, the clerk of the store, told him as she approached him. "My son is holding her and the little boy."

"So…Souken…" Ichigo whispered.

"Your children are alright young man, they're safe." The woman reassured him. "You just need to hang on until the medics get here. They won't be long now."

"Not…my kids…" Ichigo managed to whisper as he tried to move his hand.

The old woman watched with a mix of sadness, and confusion as the young man managed with great difficulty to fish his cellphone from his pants and handed it to the old woman.

"Ishida…" She heard the young man whisper. "Ishida Uryuu…father…"

And that's as far as he got, before losing consciousness.

The woman barely had enough thought to hold onto the cellphone as the orange-haired young man let go of it. The phone had some blood on it, from when it had been held, but the woman managed to ignore it and, with some effort due to her trembling hands, opened the contact list. There were so many names she feared it would be impossible to find the right one, but she did.

"Hello…" The woman almost gasped when, upon hearing a reply, she realized who exactly she was talking to. "Sir, I know you don't know me, my name is Maname Izumi, I own a little candy store downtown, I'm calling you from the cell of a young man…I suppose that is his name, he didn't have time to tell me…He asked me to call this number, said you were the father of the two children with him…Yes, they're alright, Kurosaki-san not so much…he's been shot…Ishida-sensei?"

.-.

In the Karakura General Ishida Uryuu, one of the youngest and most talented doctors of the country was in that moment taking a break, enjoying a cup of coffee in the longue. His shift was almost over, he only had to make one last round to his patients and make sure there were no emergencies; he smiled to himself at the thought of his wife: Inoue-Ishida Orihime waiting for him, she had finally learnt how to cook; he also thought of his children, four year old twins: Souken and Sora.

Life was good for him, and for all of his friends. It had been years since there had been any serious emergency regarding the spiritual world. True, there were still more hollows going to Karakura Town than in any other place in the planet, but with him, his wife, their friends, Ichigo's sister and those from the Urahara Shoten, they were more than enough to keep things in order even with no resident shinigami.

In fact, things had been so peaceful that if it weren't for Tatsuki's insistence that they train a bit during their bimonthly meetings he might be running the risk of rusting. Still, considering it meant they were all fine he wasn't about to complain.

So deep was he in his musings that he almost missed the sound of his cellphone.

"Hello, Dr. Ishida Uryuu speaking." His almost-joking voice turned suddenly very formal, something was wrong, even with no spiritual warning to go with it he just knew it. "Excuse me Maname-san, but why are you calling from this number? Where is Kurosaki Ichigo?... What do you mean he couldn't tell you?... Are the twins alright?... What has happened?... He what?" he cursed both mentally and verbally. "Please do what you can meanwhile Maname-san, I'll be there as soon as I can…"

He closed his phone with a snap, coffee forgotten and rushed to the main desk.

"Ishida-sensei?" the receptionist had never seen him like that.

One of his colleagues was there, about to check out, and looking at him with absolute shock.

"Omura-san, can you cover for me?" Uryuu asked. "I only have one last round left."

"Sure, but what's the emergency?" Omura asked.

Never before had Ishida Uryuu asked to be excuse early, whatever was going on they knew it had to be huge.

"One of my friends was shot, I don't know the particulars." Uryuu began explaining as he took off his white coat and replaced it with a dark, warmer one. "It seems he's in a very bad condition, and my children were with him."

"Go, go." Omura told him immediately. "Want us to send an ambulance after you?"

"It might be a good idea, though I'm sure the woman who phoned me called one already." Uryuu replied. "I just really, really need to get going."

The receptionist and doctor signaled for him to get on his way already. They understood the need to help a friend, and they had never before seen Dr. Ishida like that, whoever this friend of his was, he was very important to him.

As soon as he got in the car Uryuu put his phone on speaker and called his wife:

"Orihime…" He began.

"Oh Uryuu, hello! Are you getting off work early?" His wife inquired, confused yet happy.

"Not exactly. Listen, there's been an emergency." The last thing he wanted was to dampen her mood, but there was no choice.

"Spiri…" She began, confused.

And he knew why, she hadn't sensed anything, neither had he; there had been no real spiritual trouble in so long…but then again, this wasn't really spiritual in nature.

"No, it's Ichigo. He's been shot…"

"Oh my god! What…" She began babbling incoherently.

"Orihime! Please, you need to focus. I need you to call everyone. I'm on my way downtown right now, I'll need the rest of you to track me down."

"Shouldn't it be better if we go to the hospital?"

"I…" how could he explain to his perpetually happy wife that he didn't believe their friend was going to be getting to a hospital? "I think you should better follow me."

"Alright…" she was subdued now, understanding the graveness of everything. "I'll call everyone. We'll be there as soon as possible."

"Very well."

"And Uryuu…please, do everything you can for Ichigo."

"I promise you Orihime."

.-.

Kurosaki Ichigo blinked wearily, wondering what had happened for a few seconds. Until, piece by piece, it all came back to him. He and Rukia had celebrated another anniversary of their meeting in the Winter-scape just a few days ago, and soon their other anniversary, this one of the day they had met, would take place.

It had been ten years since that first, almost fated meeting, on a night where he had learnt that there was more to the spiritual world than the ghosts he saw everyday, there were shinigami, hollows, and a whole other world called Soul Society; the very same night he became a part of that world…only to lose it a little over half a year later. He'd felt so comfortable being a shinigami, like he'd been born for that life (and maybe in a way he had), he didn't think he would ever be able to get over it. And yet he did, though it wasn't because he missed his powers any less, but because he'd gotten back the one part of that life he knew he couldn't live without: he had gotten his beloved violet eyed shinigami, his Rukia, back.

Since that night they had been meeting almost every night, except the few times he'd stayed up way too late while in college or when she was sent on a late patrol. Eventually he'd gotten used to sense her, even when they couldn't actually meet; and as painful as it was for him not to be able to be there, by her side, he at least felt happy to remain in contact with her.

They had promised to wait a lifetime for each other, to live to their fullest, but never accept another by their side that wasn't each other. And they held onto that promise. Ichigo knew Rukia was now the lieutenant of the 13th Division, had been for a few years now; and she had also explained to him that when the Kuchiki Elders had tried to have a marriage arranged for her, her older brother had refused them, arguing that she was already promised to someone. Rukia was quite sure Byakuya knew she was waiting for Ichigo, even if there was no way for anyone to know the two had remained in contact. Rukia hadn't been sent to the Transient World very often in years, and she never used a gigai when there. In fact, the last time she'd been in Karakura for more than quick hollow extermination was for the Ishida twins' births a little over four years before.

Ichigo for his part had finished high-school with grades had enough to guarantee him a partial scholarship for college. He'd studied psychology, as he had explained to those who asked, he did enjoy things besides fights. He'd ended up as a high-school counselor, while giving some defense classes in Tatsuki's dojo a few nights a week. He'd moved into his own flat after beginning college, and even though his friends had tried to pair him up with some girl or another a few times, they could never convince him. Eventually they stopped trying. He'd been best man at Orihime's and Uryuu's wedding, five years earlier, and been chosen as the twins' godfather when they were born a year later. Most recently he'd been best man to Chad's own wedding, to Tatsuki no less! Last he knew she was a few months pregnant.

That morning, he began remembering, Orihime was going to accompany Tatsuki to her first ultrasound, Chad was working; Ichigo had offered to take the twins out for the morning so his friends could go to the doctor on their own, without having to worry about two kids getting bored. So Ichigo had taken the twins to the park, though instead of wanting to play with other children their age the two had insisted on Ichigo telling them stories of his adventures. Being the children of a quincy and one of the most powerful living humans to ever exist, it wasn't unexpected that the children had been able to see spirits since they were very young. Their parents had made sure to explain everything to them, the good and the bad (to the extent a child's mind could understand at least); they just loved hearing stories about the time their parents and 'uncles and aunts' had fought monsters. They of course were never told the more gory details, the kind that still gave the adults nightmares at times; just enough for them to be content, and to keep seeing their family as heroes.

So Ichigo had taken the kids to a nearby bridge, and began telling them of the time their father had insisted on competing with him to see who could better protect the town from the monsters. The twins had heard that story before, of course, but they loved it all the same.

A few hours later Ichigo took them for some ramen for lunch and afterwards the kids insisted in some dessert so Ichigo thought it would be a good idea to go to a nearby candy store. He knew the place for his mom used to take him there some afternoons after his karate class. Once there the four-year-olds immediately chose their favorite candy and Ichigo himself chose a few things, both for himself and his friends; if Orihime was anything to go by, he knew Tatsuki would begin having strange cravings soon enough.

They were on their way to the cashier when suddenly Ichigo's trained senses warned him something was wrong. He might not have any spiritual power anymore, but he'd fought a war once, and there are things that are never forgotten; he noticed when two men entered the store, looking too stiff for it to be normal, one was almost trembling. Then he saw one of them take out a gun, directing it at the cashier at the same time he ordered her to give them all the cash. The other one meanwhile was looking around the store, looking for other costumers.

Ichigo didn't even think. He just let his instincts rule him as he pushed the kids back behind a nearby display. He pulled an attendant who was close enough and then pushed him through the ground before the two assailants could notice him, covering his mouth to stop him from crying out.

"Listen to me." Ichigo told him in a very low voice. "I need you to do exactly what I tell you."

"Are you here to rob us?" The young man, younger than Ichigo, asked in fright.

"No, but two others are." Ichigo was dead honest. "I had to pull you down before they saw you, or us."

"My grandma…" The boy gasped.

"Don't worry." Ichigo reassured him. "I'll do what I can. You have a cellphone?"

The boy just nodded.

"Very well, call the Emergency number, tell them what's going on. And try not to be heard by the ones over there." He turned to the twins, who had crouched at the same time as him. "You two, I need you to stay here with him, don't make a noise."

"Uncle Ichigo is gonna beat the bad men?" Sora asked in a very quiet voice.

"Yes, uncle Ichigo is gonna beat the bad men." Ichigo agreed with her. "Souken, look after your sister."

The boy just nodded, very seriously, it was at times like this that it became obvious, more so than usually, just how much like Uryuu he was.

"You," he turned back to the boy again. "If something goes wrong I want you to take them and run, you understand me?"

"Yes sir." The boy didn't bother trying to contradict him.

With a deep breath Ichigo kissed both children's brows and got on the move. He crouched low, moving through the small alleys of the store, until he managed to get behind the man keeping guard. He hadn't seen him handle a gun yet, and Ichigo hoped he didn't have one.

The wait was excruciating, too used he was to just jump into the action and fight like a crazed man. But he no longer had the kind of power needed for that; and there were more lives at stake than just his own. He had to think about the twins, the young boy and the old woman who owned the store.

Once he was sure the assailant wasn't about to turn in his direction Ichigo leapt over him, using his body weight to tackle him to the ground. They made enough noise when they fell, so as to call both the other assailant and the old woman's attention.

"Get down!" He screamed at the woman.

The woman did as she was told, hiding underneath the cash registry, at the same time the assailant turned his gun on Ichigo.

The orange-haired man punched the assailant underneath him, knocking him out and then rolled to the side at the same time a shot rang out through the store.

A muffled scream was heard through the store and Ichigo imagined it had been Sora, and that someone had tried to quiet her.

It took a few seconds for the pain to catch up with Ichigo, the bullet had scratched his side, it wasn't life threatening, though it hurt like hell; and yet, he knew he couldn't allow it to take him over, he had to stop the second assailant, before he tried to hurt his godchildren, or the owners of the store. So, focusing on the memory of all the hard battles he had fought before, he allowed the adrenalin to fill him, to push his body forward again.

Two more shots rang out, the first one Ichigo managed to evade, but the second hit him right in the middle of the stomach. Knowing his energy was running out as he lost blood Ichigo gave himself a mighty push and managed to deliver two kicks, one to the assailant's hand to make him loose his gun, and the second to his side to make him stagger, one last uppercut and the man was down.

"It's alright…" Ichigo spoke out loud as he held onto his bleeding stomach. "You're safe."

Suddenly he could no longer stand, his legs stopped holding him up and he fell down.

As if through a fog he could hear Sora screaming for him, and imagined the boy was having a hard time holding her back, it was a good thing Souken had turned out to be so much like Uryuu, he would be able to help.

"Young man…" He heard another voice called.

It was the old woman. She was standing right beside him, an expression of horror on her face, he imagined it was due to his wound…must be really bad then.

Ichigo began going in and out of consciousness, and he barely managed to muster enough energy to make sure the twins were alright, hand his cellphone to the woman and tell her to call Ishida Uryuu, he wasn't even sure if he had managed to explain to her who Uryuu was. Well, she would be finding out soon enough either way…

And so, after losing consciousness one more time Ichigo found himself in the middle of nowhere. It was the same place he found himself in every time he followed his connection to Rukia and yet was unable to reach the Winter-scape, all black, white and red around; except that it was different this time, it was falling apart. It was as if the red, that upon closer look seemed form some kind of spiral around him, were unraveling, and with it so were the black and white surrounding him. It's not like there was anything else around besides those colors, he wasn't actually sure how he knew everything was collapsing, he just did; and he also knew it could only mean something very bad was going on.

"Ru…kia…" He called in a broken voice, he wasn't sure if he had spoken just in his mind, or out loud, and in that moment he didn't care.

He was still connected to her, he knew that much, he could still sense her; he could sense her total panic, and the adrenaline as she pushed herself forward. For an instant terror filled him as well, was she fighting at the moment? It took him a second to realize that, no, she wasn't fighting, she was running, as if her life depended on it, or maybe it was his?

He understood it then, she knew he was dying, just like he usually knew when she was in a fight, or had been hurt; she knew and hurrying to him. Did she expect to be able to save him? Or was there something more? Something related to the colors all around him, to their unraveling? Was he in danger of more than just dying?

.-.

All around town phones were being answered, strangled gasps heard, just moments before people would abandon whatever it is they'd been doing and rushed to downtown Karakura.

Tatsuki barely remained coherent enough to scream at her assistant to keep things in order and cancel her yoga class for that evening; Orihime had just dropped her at the dojo (she and Chad had a flat over it) and now she was in a rush once again. She was lucky that one of her friends thought of driving by and picking her up or she would have never made it on time.

Orihime had called for Keigo as soon as her husband had hung up and asked him to drive her and Tatsuki. She still had enough presence of mind to track her husband down, being the best one at sensing reiatsu out of the three of them; though she doubted very much she would have been able to drive, distraught as she was. The same could be said for Tatsuki, though, in her case, the pregnancy had her hormones in such a frenzy it was even worse.

Chad had barely even told the group in the studio to keep working before rushing out. Most people believed the emergency to be related to his wife and he really didn't have the time to clear that out. While he no longer was part of a group he still liked music very much, which had brought him to work in a music studio, helping young people who, like him once, dreamed of being famous musicians. He had a car, though being already downtown he decided it would be faster to track down the others on foot. And as he ran he couldn't help but wonder what mess Ichigo had ended up in the middle of now, and why hadn't be been able to be there for his friend this time.

Mizuiro had said some very rushed apologies to the women he had been having a very nice late lunch with, explaining he had an emergency and dashed out. He was the one farthest from all of them, in the house of one of his 'girlfriends'. He just floored the pedal on his car and hoped he would get where he was needed soon enough. He was a very relaxed man, but even he knew that for Orihime to be that hysterical, something had to be very, very wrong.

At the same time in the local junior-high, for reasons no one could understand, a black-haired girl had just dropped to her knees screaming her brother's name. Her auburn haired twin had rushed to her side, the look of total panic on her face enough to confuse those around them even more. And yet there was no time, Karin knew it, and just by looking at her sister's face, so did Yuzu.

Truth is none of them ever imagined they would be in such a rush, not again, not after the war was over. It wasn't supposed to be that way. There was peace, they had won, hadn't they earned some nice normal lives? Apparently they hadn't, if what was going on with their friend was anything to go by it. They just hoped to make it on time.

Uryuu was the one closest, and yet still several blocks away, and traffic wasn't making it any easier. He was about to let out a frustrated growl when he suddenly noticed a dark form dashing by his side; so fast that hadn't he possessed heightened senses due to being a quincy and his training during the war he would have never noticed it. It took him a second more to realize just who that had been.

"Kuchiki Rukia…" he whispered to no one in particular. "After all these years, you're back. But what for? To save Ichigo, or to take him away?"

So bright Uryuu was, had always been, and yet he forgot the last option: that she might be there to save him by taking him with her…

.-.

"Kurosaki-san…Uncle Ichigo…"

He could hear voices calling him, as if they were very far away. He was almost sure the woman was trying to convince him to hang on, that the paramedics would be able to save him. He knew better, having been in a war, having died more than once, he knew what it felt like; and he knew that this was even worse than some of those. He wasn't worried about dying, or afraid of it, not really, after all, he knew what was waiting for him on the other side, and in a way it was more than what he had been living with for the last nine years…what he feared was not knowing what the disaster going on inside his mind meant…

"Ichigo!"

That voice, it was different, didn't sound as far away as the others, and there was a ring to it, a strength in it…he knew precisely who was calling him now, as he also knew this was one call he couldn't ignore…

Using all the strength he had left he pushed himself in the direction of that voice, and of the soul he knew it belonged to. For a moment he felt as if he couldn't move, as if he had no strength left, and then…it was over.

When he opened his eyes again he had no problem recognizing the one before him, her hair was a bit longer, and there was that badge on her arm, but other than that she hadn't really changed that much.

"Hey…" He called softly.

He was shocked when she didn't answer the same way; but before he asked he noticed something else, the weakness was returning. A look down confirmed what he already knew, he was dead, his body was on the ground, the old woman kneeling next to him, shaking his shoulder, trying to wake him up, though it was useless and a part of her knew that already.

Before him stood his beloved shinigami, though she didn't look exactly happy to see him, instead she looked serious.

"What's wrong?" He asked, confused, this wasn't the kind of reunion he was expecting.

"Look at yourself Ichigo." She indicated in a very low voice.

He noticed it then, he was becoming translucent; he was a ghost already, why was he disappearing altogether now?

"This isn't good is it?" He asked, dreading and yet already half-knowing the answer.

"No." She replied. "You have no spirit strength whatsoever, therefore you're vanishing."

"Definitely not good." He mumbled. "Does that mean this is it for me? I'm gona die, be gone, no afterlife for me?"

"Not as long as it depends on me." Rukia answered, a line of steel in her voice.

"Huh?" Ichigo didn't understand, what could she do now?

"Do you trust me Ichigo?" She asked, dead serious.

"You know I do, with my life, or existence now." He answered in the same tone.

With no explanation she drew her sword, resting the tip of it against his chest. A motion that reminded them both of a night ten years prior, of the night everything had begun…

He didn't make any questions. He really had no idea what she was expecting to manage with that, and yet he would never question her decisions; like he had said, he trusted her totally.

"Very well," He spoke, trying to lighten the moment. "Let's do this, shinigami."

"My name isn't shinigami." She told him with a half-smile, realizing what he was trying to do. "It's Kuchiki Rukia."

"Kurosaki Ichigo." He replied in the same tone he had that time.

He laid his hands over her in the pommel of the sword, ready to help her drive it through him. And then she changed things:

"And hopefully soon I'll be Kurosaki Rukia."

There was no time for him to reply to that statement, as the sword went through him.

.-.

The first thing Kurosaki Ichigo noticed was that he was back in the white, black and red space. Though this time he wasn't alone, his beloved stood before him, and, to his surprise, there was a red cord keeping their hands joined.

"Where are we?" He wondered, not fully noticed it had been spoken out loud.

"A sort of limbo, a middle point between our souls." Rukia answered.

"This place was falling apart last time I saw it, a few minutes ago." Ichigo pointed out.

"I know, I could feel it." Rukia replied. "The thing is, when you won that last battle against Aizen, you sacrificed all your spiritual energy."

"I know." Ichigo began.

"No." She interrupted him. "This is about more than giving up your shinigami powers. Have you never wondered why you couldn't even sense spirits after the war ended? You were able to see them before becoming a shinigami, you should have retained that part of yourself even after losing that other power."

"I just thought it was all part of the package."

"It wasn't that. You lost all your spiritual energy in that attack. Urahara and your father got you back into your body just in time, before you vanished." She sighed. "Ichigo, shinigami or not, a spirit cannot survive without energy…"

"So you mean I would have vanished completely if oyaji and Urahara hadn't gotten me back into my body…?" he was shocked. "But then that means this is the end. I'm dead, I'm done with! Did you know?"

"To answer the last question first yes, but it's not over yet, and I told you it wouldn't be as long as it depended on me."

"How can this depend on you?" He suddenly opened his eyes wide. "You didn't just sacrifice your powers to me again, did you? Please tell me we aren't going to get back to square one."

"Would it be that bad?"

"Well," he sighed. "Not really, I mean I'm sure I would be able to save you if I needed, but I really would prefer not to have to fight half the Gotei to get to you."

Rukia couldn't help but giggle.

"Don't worry, I assure you I haven't given you my power." Rukia reassured him. "I'm just giving back what rightfully belongs to you…"

Before he could ask another question he suddenly saw something different behind Rukia, it was the Winter-scape, and three figures were standing there, figures he knew perfectly well. He had just opened his mouth again to speak when two of those figures leapt in their direction, passing by Rukia's sides before impacting against his chest.

For a moment the greatest pain filled Ichigo, the kind of pain he had only felt once before, many years before, while at the bottom of a very deep hole…

Seconds later it was over and he realized he felt different, stronger and, almost younger. Looking at himself he realized the reason for the change, he was wearing a shihakusho, like he hadn't in so long…on his back he could feel the comfortable weight of Zangetsu and hanging from the side of his head a white mask with red markings.

"Zangetsu? Shiro?" He called.

"We're here, Ichigo…" Both voices answered him at the same time.

Ichigo raised his eyes to look at Rukia again, shock, gratefulness, joy, love and many other emotions fighting to take precedence in his face.

"Thank you…" Was all he managed to whisper.

Rukia just smiled.

.-.

Uryuu was the first to arrive at the candy-store, he immediately went to kneel next to the bloodied body and it took him just a few seconds to confirm what he had feared already: Ichigo was dead. Then why wasn't his soul around? And where was Rukia for that matter? She should have arrived before him, she should be there with Ichigo. Unless she had already left, taking him with her…but no, she wouldn't do that, they wouldn't leave without allowing everyone else to say goodbye.

"Ishida-sensei…" He heard the old woman called. "Is he gonna be alright?"

Ishida just looked at her sadly, poor woman, having to witnessed such a tragedy. And yet, somehow, even without knowing the details, Uryuu knew that Ichigo had taken whatever risks he had to to save her, as well as the few others in the store.

"I'm sorry ma'am." Ishida said quietly. "He's gone."

The woman broke crying right then, mumbling about 'brave men' and 'young idiots' who shouldn't be dying before an old woman like her.

Uryuu just shook his head, if she had just known Ichigo…

The ambulance arrived right then, though Ishida informed them they were too late. Still, he left them to make the arrangements necessary to move the body while he went to his children.

The two young paramedics just looked at the retreating doctor in silence, everyone knew who Ishida Uryuu was; they were so shocked to see him there, until they saw two small children hurrying to his arms, the little girl still crying.

One of the paramedics cursed under his breath.

"What is it?" The second one asked.

"Haven't you realized it yet?" The first one hissed. "Ishida-sensei knew this man."

"Oh…" The shock was so great, the other paramedic didn't know what to say.

And really, what could they say about a man who had just had to confirm a friend's death?

Uryuu meanwhile thanked the young man for looking after his children, taking a moment to listen to his mumbles about how Ichigo had told him to call emergency and look after the children, of how he had fought against the second assailant even after having been shot.

Yes, thought Uryuu, that's exactly what you would expect from Ichigo.

"Uryuu!" His wife's cry brought his attention back to the present.

And there she was, standing right outside the candy store; it took a moment for the young doctor to realize their friends were keeping her back, probably so she wouldn't see Ichigo's dead body. They didn't need another reason for nightmares.

In the end Keigo was the only one to go in and help him carry the twins out while covering their eyes so they wouldn't have to see their dead uncle either.

"Tou-chan?" Uryuu heard his little whisper in his ear. "Is Uncle Ichi gonna be alright?"

Uryuu's heart almost broke right then, no matter how much they had explained to the two kids about their old lives, about their powers, how were they supposed to tell them their uncle was dead, that he was no longer a part of their world? And he couldn't even promise them he would visit, because he didn't even know what had happened to him!

The police finally arrived right then, and Uryuu used his position as a famous doctor to allow him, his family and friends to leave the candy store; in the end the police agreed that there was not much the children could tell them anyway, and they were too young to be in a place like that anyway.

Still, Uryuu didn't want to go far, not until he knew what had happened with their friend's soul, and where Rukia had gone, so the group as a whole ended up buying several coffees and sitting in an outer table of a nearby shop.

"Where's Ichigo?" Tatsuki asked.

Uryuu just turned his eyes to where the paramedics where moving a covered body.

"I know that." Tatsuki spat at him. "And you know that's not what I meant."

"I honestly don't know." He admitted quietly.

"I cannot sense him." Orihime whispered. "Or Rukia-san, and I'm almost sure I had sensed her a couple of minutes ago."

"Actually I saw her, she shunpoed past me a few blocks before I reached the store." Uryuu admitted. "But I didn't see either of them when I entered the store and…"

The low conversation was interrupted when suddenly the heads of half of those present snapped up at the same time, the rest imitating them a second later. They could all feel it.

"Uncle Ichi!" Souken and Sora cried out at the same time.

Several people turned to look at them, but then their expressions soon turned to pity, they had seen the two men getting the children out of the store where a young man had died, and they had no trouble guessing that was his name the children were screaming. They were right, though, of course, they couldn't have known the real reason why the children were yelling.

With a blinding flash…at least to those whose senses were attuned to the spiritual world, two figures suddenly reappeared at the entrance of the candy-store. They remained there barely a couple of seconds, apparently taking in what was going on, before one of them noticed the group's presence in the coffee shop, a small signal from her to the second one and they vanished from their spot, appearing right before the group of friends immediately.

"Uncle Ichi!" The twins cried out once again, this time in a lower tone.

"Hey everyone." Ichigo greeted them. "What an unexpected surprise…"

The others took a moment to answer, shocked as they were at their friend's appearance. And it was that not only was Ichigo dressed in a shihakusho…something they knew would happen sooner or later, and yet they had imagined it would wait until he actually returned to Soul Society…but there was the fact that he looked younger, no longer like the twenty-five year old man he had grown to be, instead he looked once again like a teenager, exactly the same as he had looked that day, nearly a decade ago, when he had lost his powers for the last time.

"I'm sorry if we worried you," Rukia spoke, being the first to notice how stressed out they all were. "It wasn't our intention."

"Rukia and I just had to sort something out." Ichigo continued. "Turns out that if I didn't recover my powers immediately after dying, I would vanish."

Uryuu nodded, apparently he had at some point considered such a thing.

"But I thought you lost all your power in the fight against Aizen." Chad pointed out.

"I lost all my energy, which I suppose technically amounts to the same thing." Ichigo replied.

"It's worse than that." Rukia cleared out. "Without spiritual energy he wouldn't have been able to keep existing, not even as a spirit."

"Then how?" Orihime was terrified at the mere idea.

It was something to know their friend was dead; at least they knew where he would be, and that they would be able to join him one day, but if he had completely vanished…

"He lost all his energy, but not the core of his power, not really." Rukia explained.

"That core, Zangetsu and Shiro, needed energy I could no longer provide, so they had to find it elsewhere." Ichigo continued the explanation. "In another soul…"

"Mine." Rukia went on. "All these years, Zangetsu and Shiro have been a part of my soul, slowly recovering, waiting for the time they could return to their rightful owner. We never imagined the time would come so soon, or in such a harsh way."

"She had to hurry back to me." Ichigo added. "Because she needed to return that power to me before I vanished."

"I nearly gave Ukitake-taichou a heart attack, and I'm quite sure Nii-sama isn't too happy with me right now." Rukia admitted. "But at least I got here on time."

All throughout the explanation the friends kept looking at one and then the other, again and again, it was almost like watching a tennis match, the way they were talking, complementing their answers, finishing each other's thoughts, and they didn't even seem to notice it!

"What?" They both asked, noticing the strange looks directed at them.

Right then Uryuu noticed one thing, or two actually: first it was Ichigo's wrist, while nothing of his physical self should have moved onto his spirit one, there he was wearing a modern watch, black with red-gold, and the spiritual-print was very familiar…the same could be said about the pendants hanging from a red ribbon around Rukia's neck.

Suddenly it dawned on him:

"Akai ito…" he gasped.

"What?" Everyone turned to look at him.

"Akai ito, or the red string of fate." Uryuu explained. "I had heard about it, but I always believed those things to be mere legends…"

"Yeah…not so much." Ichigo half-smiled.

Both him and Rukia took a look at their joined hands, while the cord that had joined them when they had both been in that limbo could no longer be seen, they could still feel the connection, stronger than ever before.

"You knew it, didn't you?" Uryuu asked, suddenly understanding so much. "All these years. That's why you were no longer depressed, and yet you never dated anyone. We thought it was simply that you couldn't forget her and yet…"

"How could I forget someone I had the pleasure of seeing every night?" Ichigo questioned. "Someone I could sense inside my soul every day, even when my body never could?"

So much suddenly made sense, to the quincy and everyone else; certain attitudes and actions Ichigo had taken in the last nine years, they suddenly understood the reason.

"Why did you never tell us?" Orihime asked, slightly hurt.

"If I had told you that I got to spend every night with the woman I loved with all my heart and soul, whom I wasn't supposed to have the ability to see, hear or feel any longer, what would you have thought of me?" Ichigo questioned in turn.

"I would have thought you were delusional." Tatsuki admitted.

"Or that you finally snapped." Keigo added.

"We knew we were fated." Rukia explained. "And so we promised to wait a lifetime to be together. Of course, I never thought that lifetime would come to an end so soon…"

"Still, things are the way they're meant to be." Ichigo added. "I don't have any regrets."

And really, how could he, when he was heading into the very best part of existence? An existence with his beloved, a forever by her side.

"Ichi-nii!" They heard a new scream.

They could all see 21 year old Karin and Yuzu hurry past the leaving ambulance, ignoring policemen and other passersby alike until they reached the group finally, immediately throwing themselves into their older brother's arms.

Chad moved from his position just enough so the 'curious people' around wouldn't notice that the young women were, for all intents and purposes, embracing air.

"Hey Karin, Yuzu, don't cry please." Ichigo whispered, embracing them back, directing a quick thankful look at Chad. "I promise you, everything is just right."

"How can it be alright?" Karin snapped. "How can anything be alright now?"

"You're dead onii-chan!" Yuzu wailed.

"Maybe," Ichigo nodded. "And yet I'm here, aren't I? Dead or alive, I keep existing, and you can still see me."

"Karin, Yuzu," Rukia called softly. "You need not cry. You know as well as us, death isn't really the end, just a change of pace."

It took a while, but finally the two sisters nodded and stopped crying. Karin had known about Soul Society, shinigami and everything else for years; Yuzu didn't know all the details, but as time passed her power had grown, finally allowing her to see spirits. Rukia was right, this wasn't the end, they would still be able to see Ichigo every once in a while, it would be as if he had moved out of town. And one day, they would be able to join him, and Rukia, in Soul Society. Yeah, one day they would all be together again…

.-.

A few hours later the group formed by friends and family arrived to the hospital. Isshin was there already, having been called to identify his son's body. He looked almost frantic as he searched through everyone's faces until his eyes laid finally on his son; some could almost believe he cried right then.

"It's alright oyaji, I still exist." Ichigo told him, knowing what his old man was thinking.

"I guess Rukia and you will be leaving now." Isshin whispered, making sure the doctors wouldn't hear him.

"Yeah, I just wanted to say goodbye." Ichigo admitted. "Make sure you knew I had survived."

"Thank you, Rukia-chan…" Isshin said as he embraced her tightly. "Like I told you nine years ago, you're a third daughter to me…"

And then he realized it too.

"You knew didn't you?" Isshin let out a chuckle as he looked at his son. "You knew she was there. All those years, all your changes in attitudes, it was because of her. You're connected. "

Isshin knew the hospital staff must believed him crazy, or that maybe he'd just snapped, after all, he'd just been told his oldest son was dead. He didn't care, he was too happy.

"I know you told me to die long after you." Ichigo declared. "But at least you could take in consideration that I'm going happy, with no regrets."

"I guess that even if they had been able to save you, you wouldn't have been as happy as you are right now." Isshin admitted.

Ichigo nodded, holding onto Rukia tighter. There was no way he could ever be happier.

"Very well." Isshin nodded. "Just one thing. They gave me this when they took me to identify your body in the morgue. Apparently it was in your pocket."

It was a black box.

"Don't tell me…" Rukia couldn't believe it.

"I've been carrying this thing around with me for so long, I had almost totally forgotten I had it." Ichigo admitted, taking the box into his hand as he turned to Rukia. "We made a promise nine years ago, and another one a year later. Now, finally, I can make good on both of them." He dropped on one knee for the second time, or the first, depending on the point of view. "The lifetime is over, the wait is over, and now, our eternity can begin. Marry me Rukia."

He popped the black box open, revealing inside an exquisite platinum band, it had two small stones in it: one a topaz, the other an amethyst, but the most important was the beautiful red diamond in between those, the exact same shade as the string that bound them.

"I told you before, and I'll say it again, yes, I'll marry you, Ichigo."

Carefully Ichigo slipped the ring on her finger, and then proceeded to pull her body to his, crashing her lips into his. Both totally forgetting about the company, nothing but them mattered in that instant; that, and the fact that their eternity had just begun.

.-.

It was late afternoon when the Senkai Gate opened in the Kuchiki estate and the engaged couple stepped out of it. For a moment Ichigo wondered if Rukia had been wrong and had used the main gate instead of the Kuchiki one; Rukia, for her part, knew she couldn't have made a mistake, there was no way the main gate would answer to her when she had no official person to sue it. And yet, there were so many people there…Byakuya, Renji, Ukitake, Kyouraku, Unohana, as well as several servants.

"Good afternoon, Nii-sama, Ukitake-taichou, Kyouraku-taichou, Unohana-taichou, Renji, everyone." Rukia bowed deeply at them. "My deepest apologies for my inappropriate behavior in my sudden leaving, and for not following protocol."

Ichigo bowed as well, though he didn't say a word.

"Ukitake says you told him it was an emergency." Byakuya spoke formally. "While I see Kurosaki behind you, I don't understand how that amounts to an emergency."

"Kuchiki," Kyouraku admonished. "It's obvious the boy just died, and Rukia-chan knew that somehow. It's expected for her to worry."

"You've regained your powers." Ukitake seemed to be the only one to notice how significant that truly was, as he then turned to his fukutaichou. "Rukia-san…"

"Yes Ukitake-taichou, that was the emergency." Rukia explained. "I had to get there before Ichigo's soul vanished, he needed his power to keep existing."

"You didn't give him your power again, did you?" Renji practically cried out.

"No." Rukia shook her head. "I just returned what rightfully belonged to him."

Byakuya then took notice of the ring on his sister's finger, and against what anyone could have expected he reacted very calmly.

"I imagine the wedding will be taking place soon." He declared.

Several people, Renji included, gapped at him.

"Yes nii-sama." Rukia nodded.

"You don't seem surprised by these developments Byakuya." Ukitake pointed out.

"Akai ito." Byakuya pointed out simple, then, turning back to Ichigo's still gaping mouth he added. "Yes, I knew. Why else would someone risk their very souls to save someone else, especially someone they had known for such a short time? And especially, how else could anyone expect that someone to succeed against all odds? I knew there was only one way. Being the Kuchikis the one tasked to keep the history of Soul Society I knew such bonds to exist, rare as they might be."

"How long have you known?" Kyouraku asked.

"I suspected since the day I learnt he had regained shinigami powers and was invading Soul Society to save Rukia." Byakuya replied. "His stopping the Soukyoku with nothing more than his zanpakutou just confirmed it."

There was so much shock going around in the room, from many of them. And yet Byakuya seemed to have decided that was the end of the conversation for he turned to leave.

"Well, welcome to Seireitei Ichigo, again." Ukitake chuckled slightly. "Though I imagine this time it'll be on a more permanent basis."

"Thank you Ukitake-taichou." Ichigo nodded respectfully at him. "There's nowhere else I would rather be."

And really, there wasn't. He may be dead, but truth is, he hadn't felt so alive in so long…

He couldn't help but chuckle slightly right then, to his to-be-wife's surprise and amusement. But really, who could have ever imagined something like this? Who could have ever imagined that it would take him dying to actually live?

* * *

I swear this chapter just seemed to go on and on. First when I added Ichigo's nakama into the mix, and then the details on how exactly he ended up dying, and then I briefly planned for him and Rukia to just go, but it wouldn't have been fair for his nakama, and the same can be said for his family, and then I couldn't resist a proper proposal this time, and then those in Soul Society...so yes, more scenes just kept coming up. I hope you liked this.

I will admit I briefly considered this last chapter going differently, with Rukia being the one to die, and then reincarnate, but in the end decided that if I were to do this it would make the fic way too long and complicated...same as when I considered using chapter 424 and then threw the idea away. So, this is it. Only, if you're interested, if enough people ask me to (more than ten, please), I've considered writing a sequel to this, a short story (Au in regards to the new saga in the manga), about how Ichigo deals with his new 'life'. So, what say you?

One way or another I really hope you liked this. Please let me know, even if it is in a very short review. I just live for those. Tell me what you liked the most, what you didn't, and if there's something in particular you would like me to adress in the sequel. I'm open to suggestions so, yeah. I need to know your opinions people!

Thank you very much to those who have faithfully followed my work thus far. You've made me very happy.

P.S. If you like to read my Ichiruki fic, and you haven't read my Bleach OneShot yet, please do so, it's called "Choices of Life and Death" and it follows after Ichigo's fight with Ulquiorra (working under the assuption that the war is over, the Shinigami and their allies won, and in this one Ichigo doesn't lose his powers afterwards). Here I offer you a little piece of it, it's actually the summary:

_"What else do you want me to do? I died for you!" _

_"You died for her too..." _

_"For her I died in battle. It was easy, I didn't even have to think about it. For you...it was a choice. I chose to die for you."_

Once again thank you so very much for your presence. Hope to see you (or read you) again some day soon!

Ja ne!


	5. Sequel Announcement

**Sequel Announcement **

I'm back!

And I'm here to announce that, finally, the sequel is coming! The first chapter is coming tomorrow actually. The story is both longer and considerably more complicated than this one. Still, I hope you'll like it. There'll be a lot of romance, angst., a little drama, action, friendship, mystery, suspense, and everything else!

So, for the time being, I leave you with this teaser:

**_Lifetimes may pass, as places and eras change, yet there are some things that remain always the same, some bonds that regardless of time just cannot be broken…loves that are everlasting._**

* * *

_We're part of a story, part of a tale_

_We're all on this journey_

_No one is to stay_

_Where ever it's going_

_What is the way?_

"Let me see if I understand this." Renji told her when she was done. "You and Ichigo are already engaged, your brother approves the match and has made it impossible for the Elders' complaints to stop you; and still you haven't married."

Rukia nodded.

"And that's not all." Renji continued. "We, everyone who matters really, knows Ichigo is powerful enough to be a captain, he's even more powerful than most captains; yet instead of acting like an official shinigami, he's chosen to go to the Academy."

Rukia nodded once again.

"That's insane!" Renji cried out.

"That's Ichigo." Rukia reminded him with a faint smile.

"In this case it's the same thing." Renji insisted.

* * *

"You know Ichigo and I are connected, you were there when Nii-sama explained it." Rukia reminded him as she began walking away.

"Yes." Renji nodded. "Red-string-something…What does that have to do with anything?"

"Akai-ito, the red string of fate." Rukia corrected him. "Ichigo's soul and my own are connected, it's how we met during the years he had no reiryoku, how he knew when I was in danger, and how I knew it the moment he died. If I hadn't known, if I hadn't gotten there in time he would have totally disappeared…and I…well, we're not actually sure how that would have affected me. The point is, we're still connected; in fact, it's even stronger now that we're both spirits and in the same plane."

* * *

"Why did we do it, Luna?" Ichigo asked out of the blue. "Why did we save such corrupted individuals? Such a fucked up world?"

"Not everyone is like that." Rukia reminded him softly. "You need to remember that, Sol. Besides, it's not like you and I, or any of our friends, fought for them, not really, we fought for each other, to protect those we care for; to give everyone a better future…"

"What kind of future can there be when all they keep of the past is lies?" Ichigo demanded.

_We're part of a story, part of a tale_

_Sometimes beautiful and sometimes insane_

_No one remembers how it began._

* * *

That and more, coming in:

Everlasting Loves 

(Sequel to: Everlasting Bonds)

_By: Lalaith Quetzalli _


End file.
